CD59 (Pnh Marker) in Chennai Central Railway Police Station, Chennai

The CD59 test uses your blood sample to diagnose the presence of an ultra-rare acquired disease known as Paroxysmal nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). This ailment is found in around 1 to 5 people per million and results in the premature death of healthy blood cells.

Furthermore, it affects not just one blood cell type but all the types mentioned in the below list:

• Red Blood Cells (RBCs/Erythrocytes - carry oxygen throughout the body)
• White Blood Cells (WBCs/Leukocytes - protect your body from diseases and infections)
• Platelets (Thrombocytes - play a vital role in blood clotting)

The deadly disease is characterised by blood in your urine. To offer a better understanding of the disease, let's break down its name. The word 'Paroxysmal' means sudden, whereas 'nocturnal' means night. Lastly, 'Hemoglobinuria' refers to blood in urine, or more so, Haemoglobin in urine.

Therefore, the term Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria refers to an acquired disease which entails blood urine at night. Some of the other notable symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• Shortness of breath 
• Pale or yellowish skin
• Erectile dysfunction
• Irregular heartbeat
• Constant weakness and fatigue 
• Recurring headaches 
• Easy bruising 
• Back pain 
• Trouble swallowing

All these symptoms are mainly caused by three important factors. They are as follows:

• Broken RBCs
• Excessive blood clots in veins 
• Very low RBC count

As mentioned above, the disease is quite uncommon and hence is usually seen in people with Aplastic Anaemia, or Myelodysplastic Syndrome. But what causes these complications? What causes the onset of this deadly acquired disease?

To elaborate, Paroxysmal nocturnal Hemoglobinuria results from a protein that causes your white blood cells to turn on your red blood cells. These proteins are called the complement system, and this process is known as Membrane Attack Complex (MAC).

Usually, RBCs have the PIGA gene in place to protect them against these WBC attacks. But in this case, the PIGA gene stops making these protective shields, and your RBCs will fall apart. As a result, they will release Haemoglobin into the bloodstream. This blood cell is responsible for carrying O2 around the body.

This Haemoglobin that has been dumped into your bloodstream is called free Haemoglobin and is eliminated by your body's natural cleaning crew called Haptoglobin. This changes when you have been diagnosed with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria. Haptoglobin can't keep up with the amount of free Haemoglobin in the blood, resulting in the overflow of nitric oxide.

As a result, all the nitric oxide in your body drains out, and without it, you will start experiencing painful spasms around your esophagus, stomach, back muscles, etc. This free Haemoglobin is also seen in your urine, as your urine will start turning darker and darker till it eventually turns blood red.

Simultaneously, your bone marrow is under immense pressure to cover up for RBC loss. Hence, you are also exposed to a risk of Anaemia.

If you start seeing any of the symptoms mentioned above, get Apollo 24/7’s  CD59 test done now! The CD59 test cost is affordable, and you will receive the test results within just 72 hours. There are no other prerequisites to the test either. All that the doctor will ask of you is your clinical history.