Risks associated with having blood drawn are slight:
excessive bleeding
fainting or feeling light-headed
hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
multiple punctures to locate veins
Special considerations:
A negative test does not rule out PNH. False-negative results may occur if the serum is depleted of complement.
Review Date: 4/15/2005
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, MD, Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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