The role of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in idiopathic habitual abortion

INTRODUCTION: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired clonal hematopoietic stem cell disease presenting with intravascular hemolysis, bone marrow failure, and thrombosis. Hereditary and acquired thrombophilia are known to play an important role in the etiology of patients with habitual abortion (HA). PNH, which is a cause of acquired thrombophilia, may have a role in the etiology of HA. In this study, we investigated the presence of PNH in the etiology of patients with a history of HA.
METHODS: The study group consisted of 150 patients diagnosed with habitual abortus of unknown etiology and 150 healthy women with no history of habitual abortus as a control group. The age range for both groups was 18 – 55 years. The PNH clone was screened by the FLAER (fluorescein-labeled proaerolysin) method.
RESULTS: The PNH clone was positive in five (3.3%) patients in the study group. Four of the PNH clone positive patients were found to have a very low clone positivity level (0.05%, 0.24%, 0.12%, 0.21%), while one had a high level (30%).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: PNH clone positivity results in the study group indicate that PNH should be investigated in cases of idiopathic HA, as one patient required treatment.