Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in newborn infants of Eastern Saudi Arabia

Neonatal screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] deficiency was established in a large general hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. During the first 2 years of this program, samples from 2880 Saudi infants and 495 non-Saudi newborns were tested. Among Saudi infants, the overall incidence of G6PD deficiency was 26.6% in boys and 12.6% in girls. There was an apparent excess in the observed incidence of this enzyme deficiency in females. Parents of all infants who were G6PD-deficienct were counseled on how to prevent hemolytic complications. This enzyme deficiency is very common is this population, and neonatal screening for early detection is recommended