Glucose-6-Phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Bahraini blood donors

ABSTRACT

Glucose -6- phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, a genetic defect, underlying the biochemical red cell abnormality is the most common red cell enzyme disorder and occurs world wide. Blood from donors with G6PD-deficiency survives normally unless the recipient is given certain oxidant drugs which may lead to a rapid destruction of the G6PD-deficient cells. 2680 male Bahraini blood donors attending the Central Blood Bank, Salmaniya Medical Centre were screened for G6PD-deficiency. The result of the study showed that 26.4% blood donors were G6PD- deficient. It is proposed to estimate quantitative enzyme levels to identify G6PD variants in the population to assess the extent of its severity, and a clinical trial to assess the effect of blood transfusion on patients receiving G6PD-deficient donor cells