Prevalence of JAK2 V617F mutation in west algerian population with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms: A multicenter study

JAK2 V617F point mutation is now well recognized in patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). However, its frequency in Algerian patients is still unknown. We determined the JAK2 V617F mutation in blood samples from 344 patients from five hematology departments across West Algeria, using amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMSPCR). The JAK2 V617F mutation was identified in 157/344 patients (45.63%), 80/98 polycythemia vera patients (81.6%), 44/75 essential thrombocythemia patients (58.6%), 6/13 primary myelofibrosis patients (46.2%), 21/87 with suspected MPN (12.9%), and 2/32 secondary thrombocytosis patients (6.2%), but was not detected in 28 patients with secondary erythrocytosis. Detection of JAK2 V617F mutation is an essential molecular tool to establish myeloproliferative neoplasm diagnosis, which allowed us to adjust the diagnosis for 6 patients and should be systematically included into the initial evaluation of patients suspected of MPNs in Algeria.