Fetal hemoglobin in polycythemia vera: cellular distribution in 50 unselected patients.

Fetal hemoglobin was studied in 50 unselected patients with polycythemia vera with chemical determinations of Hb F and measurements of F-cell levels using fluorescent anti-Hb F antibodies. Although in the majority of the patients Hb F production did not differ from that in normal controls, in 20% of the patients F-cell values were above the normal range. There was no correlation between F-cell values and duration of disease, treatment modality, presence of myelofibrosis, or hematologic parameters at the time of study. In 5 of 50 patients 30%--45% of the erythrocytes contained Hb F; such striking elevations of F cells may reflect a distorted differentiation of erythroid precursor cells in certain patients with this disorder.