BIOCHEMISTRY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF G6PD DEFICIENCY G6PD is an enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, a metabolic pathway that supplies reducing energy to cells, in particular erythrocytes, by maintaining the level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). NADPH in turn maintains the level of glutathione that helps protect erythrocytes against oxidative damage. In states of oxid...

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzymatic disorder of red blood cells in humans. It is estimated that about 400 million people are affected by this deficiency. The G6PD enzyme catalyzes the first step in the pentose phosphate pathway, leading to antioxidants that protect cells against oxidative damage. A G6PD-deficient patient, therefore, lacks the ability...

The differential diagnosis of haemolytic anaemias is difficult. It requires a wide clinical knowledge, complete command of a wide range of laboratory techniques and imagination. However, it is possible to base a system for differential diagnosis on no more than five basic tests. These are:i. Examination of a properly stained thin blood film, stained so that the cells are orange, but show polych...