Standardized high-sensitivity flow cytometry testing for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in children with...

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired hematopoietic stem cell disorder that has not been well-documented in children, particularly those with acquired bone marrow failure disorders (ABMFD)-acquired aplastic anemia (AAA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Therefore, we sought to determine the prevalence of PNH populations in children with ABMFD.

PNH testing was performed in children with an ABMFD diagnosis using high sensitivity (≥0.01%) fluorescent aerolysin (FLAER)-based assay according to 2010 International Clinical Cytometry Society (ICCS) PNH Consensus Guidelines and 2012 Practical PNH Guidelines. FLAER/CD64/CD15/CD24/CD14/CD45 and CD235a/CD59 panels were used for white blood cell and red blood cell testing, respectively.

Thirty-seven patients with ABMFD (34 AAA, 3 MDS) were included (17M/20F, age 2-18 years, median 9 years). PNH populations were identified in 17 of 37 (46%) patients. Of the 17 patients with PNH populations identified, 7 were PNH clones (>1% PNH population), and 10 had minor PNH population or rare cells with PNH phenotype (≤1% PNH population).

This is the first study to use a standardized high-sensitivity FLAER-based flow cytometry assay and the recommended cutoff of 0.01% to identify cells with PNH phenotype in pediatric patients with ABMFD in the United States. The identification of a PNH population in 46% of ABMFD supports the recommendation for high sensitivity PNH testing in children with these disorders. As a less sensitive assay using a cutoff of ≥ 1% PNH population would have missed 10 (27%) patients with minor PNH population or rare cells with PNH phenotype. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society.