Myelofibrosis
It is a disease of the bone marrow in which collagen builds up fibrous scar tissue inside the marrow cavity. The trigger for its development is a disturbance of the immune system. It may be called by several names including primary or ideopathic myelofibrosis (more common in the British health system) or agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (usually used in the USA). These names describe a situation where myelofibrosis is the first disease diagnosed. It is also possible to have myelofibrosis as a consequence of another myeloproliferative diseases such as polycythemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythemia (ET).
For this condition to be severe enough to meet the Social Security Administration's listing the claimant must have:
- Chronic anemia; OR
- Documented recurrent bacterial infections occurring at least 3 times during the 5 months before disability determination; OR
- Severe bone pain with an x-ray evidencing osteosclerosis.