Prevalence of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Neonates Hospitalized in Pasteur Hospital of Bam, Iran

The pentose phosphate pathway is of particular importance for energy supply in red blood cells. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is the key enzyme involved in this pathway. The deficiency of this enzyme due to lack of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) production in red blood cells leads to oxidation, hemoglobin deposition, red blood cell membrane changes and favism, which causes jaundice and hemolytic anemia in newborns. In this study, we evaluate the frequency of G6PD deficiency in newborns in a hospital in Bam, Iran.       

In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 572 newborns hospitalized at Pasteur hospital of Bam (Iran) in the first half of 2018. Demographic data including gender and blood type were collected. The G6PD enzyme activity was evaluated using qualitative G6PD assay kit (Saba Teb, Iran). Data were analyzed using SPSS software.        

Of the 572 cases examined, 52 (9.09%) had G6PD deficiency. Of the affected patients, 34 (65.4%) were male and 18 (34.6%) were female. In addition, the majority (47.7%) of affected patients were with O+ blood group.       

A relatively high frequency of G6PD deficient infants was reported in Bam. As expected, the prevalence of this disorder was higher in males than in females. Given the lost cost of screening, we suggest screening for G6PD enzyme activity in all newborns.