LAUSR

Phlebotomy is central to the management of polycythemia vera (PV) [1]. However, there are no formal recommendations how phlebotomy should be done, what is the best target hematocrit, how to deal with adverse events, or standard definitions of intolerance and/or resistance to phlebotomy. Lack of appropriate guidelines on these issues may be associated with sub-optimal care or even harm. The Italian Society of Hematology (SIE), in cooperation with two Italian Societies of Blood Transfusion (SIMTI and SIDEM), convened a panel of experts for developing recommendations regarding phlebotomy in persons with PV. Publications reporting efficacy of phlebotomy-related procedures in persons with PV with a comparison group were critically appraised to rate confidence in estimates of effect size for each outcome using GRADE methodology [2]. To address key questions, we used a three-round Delphi process and two consensus conferences held in Bologna, Italy, in 2017.