G6PD Deficiency

G6PD deficiency is an inherited disorder of the red blood cell, inherited in an x-linked
recessive manner – males are affected while the females are carriers. G6PD is an enzyme
essential in keeping glutathione in the reduced state that in turn is vital to maintain the
integrity of the red cell membrane. In G6PD deficiency the red blood cells are prone to
haemolysis when exposed to oxidants or when certain foods or herbs are ingested. A list
of drugs and herbs that can precipitate haemolysis is provided in the appendix (Luzzato,
1992).

The incidence of G6PD deficiency varies among the various ethnic groups as follows -
Chinese 3.1%, Malay 1.4%, and Indian 0.2% (Robinson et al., 1976). These results were
obtained by using a fluorescent screening method, that had been found to be as sensitive
and specific as other screening tests (Fairbanks & Fernandez 1969).