Polycythemia vera: diagnosis and treatment 2002.

Since 1903 when polycythemia vera was designated by Osler as a new identity the clinical manifestations at the time of diagnosis--symptomatology, physical and hematological findings have become well known. Criteria for diagnosis have been established as well as treatment goals. However, agreement on how best to treat this disease has eluded the hematologists particularly as our understanding of the evolution of the hematological findings has become better known.