Newborn screening and diagnosis for Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency at Danang Hospital for Women and Children

Abstract

Background: G6PD deficiency can result in acute hemolysis anemia during times of increased reactive oxygen species production. This study aimed to investigate the rate of high risk among newborns who were screened for G6PD deficiency, as well as some clinical characteristics of those who had this disease at Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children. Materials and Methods: 10,020 newborns were screened for G6PD deficiency using dried heel blood spots,. Samples of peripheral venous blood is drawn from high-risk infants for diagnostic testing. Results: The proportion of high-risk newborns was 1.12%, with boys having a greater incidence than girls (1.71% versus 0.48%). G6PD activity was higher in premature infants than in term infants. G6PD activity was higher in infants having low birth weight (< 2500 g) than in ones having normal birth weight (≥ 2500 g). Only 45.54% of high-risk newborns were tested for diagonosis. Among them, 92.16% had diagnostic confirmation. G6PD deficiency in class II accounts for 31.91%, whereas class III accounts for 68.09%. Boys accounted for 87.23% and jaundice accounted for 82.98% of infants with G6PD deficiency. Only 6.38% of those had a family history of G6PDD deficiency. Conclusion: Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children’s newborn screening programme identified 1.12% of newborns as high risk for G6PD deficiency. Most neonates with G6PD deficiency were in classes II and III, with males being the main gender, and jaundice being the most common symptom. Key words: G6PD deficiency, newborn screening, hell blood, enzyme activity