Study of relationship of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency and its effect on neonatal jaundice

Abstract

The study was conducted on 180 neonates coming to maternity and childhood hospital in Ramadi. It's found that 150 infants had serum bilirubin level >12 mg/dl, including 37 infants with G6PD deficiency. These results were compared with 30 infants with physiological jaundice as a control group. The comparison study involved performing some hematological and biochemical analysis followed by studying the effect of blood groups, gestation period and sex of infant. The results indicated as following: G6PD deficiency was found to cause a moderate to severe degree of jaundice not combined with acute anemia. The results indicated a highly significant difference (p<0.001) in number of parameters including increase in the concentration of total serum bilirubin, decrease of packed cell volume and concentration of hemoglobin and increase of reticulocyte count. But there were no significant difference (p>0.05) in the Leucocytic count with activity of transaminase enzyme AST and ALT, activity of Alkaline phosphatase ALP and Blood groups. On the other hand there was increasing of premature deliveries and sex of male in the cases of G6PD deficiency which was highly significant (p<0.001). It was concluded from this study that there was a relationship between G6PD enzyme deficiency and the occurrence of jaundice in neonates.