Essential Thrombocythemia and Ulcerative Colitis: Unusual Association

Essential thrombocythemia is classified as a chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the overproduction of platelets stemming from a megakaryocytic clone. The diagnosis primarily relies on bone marrow biopsy findings and the detection of the JAK2 V617F mutation, after the exclusion of secondary thrombocytosis due to conditions such as inflammation, hemolysis, infection, and iron deficiency. On the other hand, Ulcerative colitis represents an inflammatory disorder of the colon. The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is established through clinical assessment, endoscopic examination, and histological criteria, without a discernible alternative etiology. The concomitant occurrence of these two conditions is infrequent. We present the case of an 85-year-old patient with a history of essential thrombocythemia who exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms characterized by alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation. A subsequent colonoscopy accompanied by a biopsy revealed histological features consistent with ulcerative colitis. The patient was administered cytoreductive therapy in combination with mesalazine, resulting in favorable outcomes. Current literature addressing this association is limited, indicating the need for further investigative studies to elucidate the causal relationships between these two pathologies and to achieve improved therapeutic management strategies.