Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria in Jamaica

ABSTRACT

There was delay of from 2 weeks 2 years before the diagnosis of praoxysmal noctural haemoglobinuria (PNH) was confirmed in 6 patients, the first to be describe from Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean. Three had nocturnal haemoglobinuria when they presented, but 3 others presented atypically. Then diagnosis would have been established earlier if the acidified serum (Ham) test and the sucrose haemolysis test had been performed earlier. The possibility of PNH should be investigated in patients with aplastic or refractory anaemia, in those in whom increased haemolysis is associated with iron deficiency, and with a variety of other disorders, when common causes are excluded. The pathogenesis of the haemolysis in PNH, and the variety of haematologic changes which may accompany this disorder are discussed (AU)