Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) — Symptoms and Diagnosis

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired defect in the myeloid stem cell lineage and can be seen as a rare, chronic, morbid disorder. Formally known as Marchiafava-Micheli syndrome, it received its current name as a descriptive term for the disease. Individuals afflicted with the disease wake up to dark, “cola” colored urine due to RBC breakdown and release of hemoglobin in the urine overnight. The discoloration of urine is seen in several other disorders, which is why it is important to discern the disease from other hemolytic disorders as the article depicts.