The normal value of human red blood cells is (4.0-5.5) × 1012/L for adult males and (3.5-5.0) × 1012/L for adult females. When the red blood cell count is consistently higher than this normal value, it is called erythrocytosis. There are many causes of erythrocyte increase, mainly including the following two aspects: 1, relative increase in erythrocytes: mostly due to the loss of water in the body, blood concentration resulting in relative increase in erythrocytes, seen in severe vomiting and diarrhea, massive sweating, large burns, diabetic ketoacidosis.
2, absolute increase in erythrocytes: that is, the clinical term erythrocytosis, including two types, one is secondary erythrocytosis, is due to increased erythropoietin in the blood. It can be seen in cyanotic preconditioning, obstructive emphysema, pulmonary heart disease, newborns or those living in the highlands, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer uterine fibroids or hydronephrosis. The other category is primary erythropoiesis, which is seen in clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders, also known as true erythropoiesis, and erythropoietic disorders caused by mutations in the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor gene.
Severe erythropoiesis can increase the viscosity of blood in the body, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, and in severe cases, embolic manifestations such as cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction.
In summary, all of the above causes may lead to high red blood cells in the body, but the specific causes need to be combined with the patient’s medical history and other relevant tests.