Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank

Abstract Polycythemia is a hematological condition characterized by an elevated red blood cell (RBC) mass that exceeds the normal range for a specific age and gender; it can be classified as either primary or secondary. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of primary and secondary polycythemi...

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Main Authors: Gana Odeh, Mohammed Alili, Roa Hamshari, Ahmad Saabna, Rami Zagha, Mahmoud Draidi, Safa’ Bushnaq, Suheir Ereqat, Basma Damiri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13062-8
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author Gana Odeh
Mohammed Alili
Roa Hamshari
Ahmad Saabna
Rami Zagha
Mahmoud Draidi
Safa’ Bushnaq
Suheir Ereqat
Basma Damiri
author_facet Gana Odeh
Mohammed Alili
Roa Hamshari
Ahmad Saabna
Rami Zagha
Mahmoud Draidi
Safa’ Bushnaq
Suheir Ereqat
Basma Damiri
author_sort Gana Odeh
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Polycythemia is a hematological condition characterized by an elevated red blood cell (RBC) mass that exceeds the normal range for a specific age and gender; it can be classified as either primary or secondary. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of primary and secondary polycythemia among adult blood donors in the West Bank and characterize potential risk factors. This cross-sectional study included 674 adult Palestinian male blood donors, aged 18 to 62 years, at An-Najah National University Hospital. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Eligible donors underwent complete blood count (CBC) analysis, and samples meeting the latest World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for polycythemia, hemoglobin > 16.5 g/dL or hematocrit > 49% in men, were sent for DNA sequencing. Among the participants, 16.6% met the diagnostic criteria for polycythemia; however, none had the JAK2 p.V617F mutation, indicating a potential lack of polycythemia vera (PV). Risk factor analysis revealed an increased risk of polycythemia in moderate (p = 0.039, OR 2.223, [95% CI 1.041–4.746]), heavy cigarette smoking (p = 0.008, OR 2.301, [95% CI 1.246–4.249]), and heavy waterpipe smoking (p ≤ 0.001, OR: 5.019, [95% CI 2.364–10.653]), whereas heavy coffee consumption had a protective effect against polycythemia (p = 0.013, OR 0.444 [95% CI 0.234–0.843]). The absence of the JAK2 p.V617F mutation among participants suggests that secondary polycythemia predominance is driven by smoking and other modifiable lifestyle factors. These findings emphasize the importance of public health efforts focused on lifestyle modification to reduce the risk of polycythemia.
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spelling doaj-art-00af81ed14c04298a7e2936bf1eb0c392025-08-20T03:45:59ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-13062-8Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bankGana Odeh0Mohammed Alili1Roa Hamshari2Ahmad Saabna3Rami Zagha4Mahmoud Draidi5Safa’ Bushnaq6Suheir Ereqat7Basma Damiri8Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityDepartment of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityDepartment of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityDepartment of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National UniversityDepartment of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMolecular Genetics Laboratory, An-Najah National University HospitalBiochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds UniversityFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology Division, An-Najah National UniversityAbstract Polycythemia is a hematological condition characterized by an elevated red blood cell (RBC) mass that exceeds the normal range for a specific age and gender; it can be classified as either primary or secondary. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of primary and secondary polycythemia among adult blood donors in the West Bank and characterize potential risk factors. This cross-sectional study included 674 adult Palestinian male blood donors, aged 18 to 62 years, at An-Najah National University Hospital. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Eligible donors underwent complete blood count (CBC) analysis, and samples meeting the latest World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for polycythemia, hemoglobin > 16.5 g/dL or hematocrit > 49% in men, were sent for DNA sequencing. Among the participants, 16.6% met the diagnostic criteria for polycythemia; however, none had the JAK2 p.V617F mutation, indicating a potential lack of polycythemia vera (PV). Risk factor analysis revealed an increased risk of polycythemia in moderate (p = 0.039, OR 2.223, [95% CI 1.041–4.746]), heavy cigarette smoking (p = 0.008, OR 2.301, [95% CI 1.246–4.249]), and heavy waterpipe smoking (p ≤ 0.001, OR: 5.019, [95% CI 2.364–10.653]), whereas heavy coffee consumption had a protective effect against polycythemia (p = 0.013, OR 0.444 [95% CI 0.234–0.843]). The absence of the JAK2 p.V617F mutation among participants suggests that secondary polycythemia predominance is driven by smoking and other modifiable lifestyle factors. These findings emphasize the importance of public health efforts focused on lifestyle modification to reduce the risk of polycythemia.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13062-8PolycythemiaJAK2 mutationBlood donationHemoglobinTobacco smokingWest bank
spellingShingle Gana Odeh
Mohammed Alili
Roa Hamshari
Ahmad Saabna
Rami Zagha
Mahmoud Draidi
Safa’ Bushnaq
Suheir Ereqat
Basma Damiri
Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
Scientific Reports
Polycythemia
JAK2 mutation
Blood donation
Hemoglobin
Tobacco smoking
West bank
title Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
title_full Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
title_fullStr Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
title_short Characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among Palestinian blood donors in the West bank
title_sort characterization of primary and secondary polycythemia among palestinian blood donors in the west bank
topic Polycythemia
JAK2 mutation
Blood donation
Hemoglobin
Tobacco smoking
West bank
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13062-8
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