PEDIATRICS Vol. 39 No. 5 May 1967, pp. 675-688
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Miller, D. R.
Right arrow Articles by Diamond, L. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Miller, D. R.
Right arrow Articles by Diamond, L. K.

PAROXYSMAL NOCTURNAL HEMOGLOBINURIA IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Clinical and Erythrocyte Metabolic Studies in Two Cases

Denis R. Miller M.D.1, Robert L. Baehner M.D.1, and Louis K. Diamond M.D.1

1 The Division of Hematology and the Medical Service, Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Two cases of PNH in adolescence and childhood are reported. The first presented at age 7frac12 years with aplastic anemia and improved after splenectomy performed at age 14. The second, a 15-year-old girl, presented with a Coombs-positive hemolytic anemia and has had a course complicated by multiple peripheral thromboses. The clinical and laboratory manifestations, complications, and certain therapeutic aspects of PNH are discussed. Anticoagulant therapy appears indicated in the presence of multiple thrombotic episodes.

Erythrocyte metabolic studies revealed normal glycolysis, ATP stability, and GSH content in the cells of a child with a normal reticulocyte count. Mild elevations of glycolysis, noted in the child with a reticulocytosis, was ascribed to a younger mean red cell population since further elevations found in the "top" reticulocyte-rich layer after centrifugation. Heparin, the anticoagulant used in these studies, had no adverse effect on glycolysis but did inhibit hemolysis and minimize ATP instability when compared to cells suspended in defibrinated serum.

Erythrocytes fractionated by centrifugation revealed increased glycolytic enzyme activities of hexokinase, G3PD, PGK, TPI, PK, LDH, G6PD, and 6PGD in the reticulocyte-rich layer. Normal, rather than increased activity of aldolase, a membrane enzyme, may reflect damage to the red cell membrane. PFK, known to be decreased in the erythrocyte of neonates, showed normal activity, but it was lowest in the reticulocyte-rich layer. Fetal hemoglobin was elevated in this layer.

AChE deficiency and increased suceptibility to hydrogen perioxide and acid hemolysis confirmed previous reports and were most marked in the young cell layer. The level of increased glycolytic rates and enzyme activity, AChE deficiency, acid hemolysis and peroxide hemolysis were related to the clinical severity of the disease.

Submitted on September 1, 1966
Accepted on December 7, 1966