[Evaluation and quantification of complement-sensitive red cells in PNH and aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome]

In order to clarify the erythropoiesis of complement-sensitive red cells in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), the proportion of complement-sensitive red cells and compositional classification of examined red cells were investigated by means of complement lysis sensitivity test in 27 patients with initial diagnosis of PNH and 17 patients with aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome, and their bone marrow nucleated cell counts were also compared. The proportion of complement-sensitive erythrocytes was 41.0 +/- 22.0% (n = 26) in PNH and 29. 5 +/- 15.0% (n = 17) in aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome, and no significant difference was recognized between them. The nucleated cell count at the time of PNH diagnosis was 19.1 +/- 12.5 X 10(4)/microliters (n = 21) in PNH and 12.6 +/- 8.8 X 10(4)/microliters (n = 12) in aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome, and no significant difference between them was apparent. These findings suggest that the erythropoiesis of complement-sensitive red cells shows a similarity between PNH at initial occurrence and aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome, once PNH has occurred.