Frequency of G6PD Deficiency in General Population at District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X-linked disease and it is a common enzymatic
disease of RBCs in humans X linked recessive condition are more common in males than females. The said deficiency leads to
affecting >400 million people worldwide Individuals, normally males, with deficient alleles are helpless to neonatal jaundice and
intense hemolytic anemia, usually during disease, after treatment with specific medications or subsequent to eating Fava beans..
Objective: To measure the frequency of Glucose-6-Phosphate-Dehydrogenase deficiency in general population at district Bannu,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 500 human subjects, who were referred for
G6PD assay, in Samad clinical Laboratory, District Bannu Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, from July 2018 to July 2019. 500cc
venous whole blood was collected in EDTA containing vial, for G6PD Test. (Span Diagnostic S.A.R.L, France). Patients of any Age,
Sex & area having fever, hematuria, headache, visible jaundice, family history, malaria and anemia were included in this study,
while patients suffering from renal disease, any malignancy & not willing persons were excluded.
Results: Out of the total 500 hundred, 370 (74%) were males and females were 130 (26%). Total 64/500 (12.8 %) were G6PD
deficient, with 55 male and 09 were female. Malaria positive with G6PD deficiency were 13/64 (20.31%), with 12 males and one
female. Statistically significant difference among each group (p= 0.0022) was noted. Mean age of the G6PD deficient persons was
(2.8 ± 1.03) years. Anemia was graded as Hemoglobin less than 11.5g/dl was taken as anemia. Severe anemia as Hb < 7 g/dl,
moderate anemia as Hb ranged between 7-10 g/dl and mild if Hb ranged between 10-11.5 g/dl.
Among 370 males, 86 persons had hemoglobin of less than 11.5 g/dl, 42 had hemoglobin 7-10 g/dl and 7 patients had hemoglobin
less than 7 g/dl, only 235 patients had hemoglobin more than 11.5, among 130 females, 33 patients had hemoglobin of less than
11.5 g/dl, 17 patients had hemoglobin 7-10 g/dl and 05 patients had hemoglobin less than 7 g/dl, only 75 patients had hemoglobin
more than 11.5 g/dl.
Conclusion: This study shows high frequency of G6PD Deficiency in district Bannu Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan especially very
high frequency in males than females.