Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a condition in which red blood cells break down when the body is exposed to certain drugs or the stress of infection. It is hereditary, which means it is passed down in families.
G6PD deficiency; Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency; Anemia - hemolytic due to G6PD deficiency
G6PD deficiency occurs when a person is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This enzyme helps red blood cells work properly.
Too little G6PD leads to the destruction of red blood cells. This process is called hemolysis. When this process is actively occurring, it is called a hemolytic episode. The episodes are most often brief. This is because the body continues to produce new red blood cells, which have normal activity.
Red blood cell destruction can be triggered by infections, certain foods (such as fava beans), and certain medicines, including:
Other chemicals, such as those in mothballs, can also trigger an episode.
In the United States, G6PD deficiency is more common among blacks than whites. Men are more likely to have this disorder than women.
You are more likely to develop this condition if you:
A form of this disorder is common in whites of Mediterranean descent. This form is also associated with acute episodes of hemolysis. Episodes are longer and more severe than in the other types of the disorder.
People with this condition do not display any signs of the disease until their red blood cells are exposed to certain chemicals in food or medicine.
Symptoms are more common in men and may include:
Treatment may involve:
Germana Bancone practices in Oxford, United Kingdom. Bancone is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency. They are also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Congenital Hemolytic Anemia, Hemolytic Anemia, and Hemolysis.
Francois Nosten practices in Maesod, Thailand. Nosten is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Malaria, Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Hemolysis, and Congenital Hemolytic Anemia.
Cindy Chu is a Family Medicine specialist and a Pediatrics expert in Wentzville, Missouri. Chu is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency. She is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Malaria, Hemolysis, and Congenital Hemolytic Anemia. She is licensed to treat patients in Missouri.
In most cases, hemolytic episodes go away on their own.
In rare case, kidney failure or death may occur following a severe hemolytic event.
Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of this condition.
Contact your provider if you have been diagnosed with G6PD deficiency and symptoms do not disappear after treatment.
People with G6PD deficiency must strictly avoid things that can trigger an episode. Talk to your provider about your medicines.
Genetic counseling or testing may be available to those who have a family history of the condition.
Summary: In French Guiana, malaria is endemic and two species predominate: P. falciparum and P. vivax. The treatments against Plasmodium vivax malaria are: nivaquine for 3 days against circulating blood parasites and primaquine for 14 days against parasites dormant in the liver. Primaquine can cause iatrogenic hemolytic anemias in patients with favism, i.e. G6PD deficiency. This anemia can be severe enough...
Summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on redox status, physiological and biochemical parameters in diabetic individuals with G6PD deficiency, after acute exercise.
Published Date: January 25, 2022
Published By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Gregg XT, Prchal JT. Red blood cell enzymopathies. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 44.
Lissauer T, Carroll W. Haematological disorders. In: Lissauer T, Carroll W, eds. Illustrated Textbook of Paediatrics. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 23.
Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 151.