Cerebral arteriovenous malformation presenting with polycythemia vera: A case report and literature review

INTRODUCTIONCerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) usually present with headache, hemorrhage, or seizure. Erythropoietin (EPO) has demonstrated protective effects against ischemia within the CNS.PRESENTATION OF CASEThe authors report a patient with a cerebral AVM and concurrent polycythemia associated with elevated serum EPO. Systemic EPO levels declined acutely after resection of the patient's AVM, and the polycythemia resolved in the following months.DISCUSSIONPolycythemia secondary to a cerebral AVM, in the absence of extra-cerebral vascular lesions, has not been described in the literature.CONCLUSIONThe authors explore the mechanisms by which this patient's cerebral AVM could have induced EPO production within the brain, manifesting as polycythemia.