laboratory features
Last reviewed 05/2021
- anaemia:
- this is variable - an iron deficiency anaemia may occur due to chronic intravascular haemolysis and loss in the urine
- the blood smear is not characteristic; features may include polychromasia and reticulocytosis
- urine:
- haemosiderin
- haemoglobin
- increased urobilinogen
- serum haptoglobin - decreased or absent
- serum LDH - raised
- serum iron - may be decreased
- white cell count:
- usually low
- leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) may be decreased
- platelet count may be decreased
- negative Coomb's test
- bone marrow - variable; either hypoplasia or erythroid hyperplasia