Great question! The short answer is: yes, to some degree. By definition, everyone with PNH has at least some level of bone marrow dysfunction. PNH begins when a bone marrow stem cell develops a mutation in a gene called PIGA, which prevents blood cells from being made properly. However, the severity of bone marrow Show Full Answer
Great question! The short answer is: yes, to some degree. By definition, everyone with PNH has at least some level of bone marrow dysfunction. PNH begins when a bone marrow stem cell develops a mutation in a gene called PIGA, which prevents blood cells from being made properly. However, the severity of bone marrow involvement can vary quite a bit from person to person:
- Some people have only mild bone marrow dysfunction
- Others have more severe dysfunction, leading to low levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets
- When all three blood cell types are low, it's called pancytopenia So while bone marrow dysfunction is always present in PNH, it doesn't always mean severe bone marrow failure. The degree to which the bone marrow is affected plays a big role in what symptoms someone experiences and how their PNH is managed.
It's always worth discussing the specifics of your bone marrow health with your healthcare team, as they can run tests like a bone marrow biopsy to get a clearer picture of what's going on.
October 12
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