5^th World Hematologists Congress

Biography

Biography: Shahtaj Khan

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of G6PD deficiency by G6PD quantitative method in jaundice infants coming from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).

Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross sectional study total no of three hundred (Male n=200, Female n=100) hyperbilirubinemia infants of <01 year were randomly selected for the study. By aseptic technique 4 ml blood was collected, 2 ml for bilirubin profile and 2 ml for G6PD enzyme assay. Serum bilirubin was determined by Diazo reaction method using Architect plus ci8200 (Abbott, USA) and G6PD quantitative enzyme assay was measured by ultraviolet kinetic method (Trinity biotech kit, USA). The collected data was recorded and analyzed in SPSS-20.P value was less than 0.005, it was considered as statistically significant.

Results: With this study 33 (11%) jaundiced infants were G6PD deficient and 267 (89%) infants were normal G6PD level. In all male jaundice neonates 25 (12.5%) were G6PD deficient and 175 (87.5%) with normal G6PD quantity, while 08 (08%) female infants were G6PD deficient and 92 (92%) within normal G6PD range out of all jaundiced female infants. No significant differences in G6PD enzyme level were seen among male and female jaundiced infants. The mean serum total bilirubin in G6PD deficient neonates and normal infants was 13.8 mg/dl and 12.2 mg/dl respectively.

Conclusion: Our study concluded that 11% of infants presenting with jaundice were G6PD deficient, which is a higher percentage. As the study was conducted in our area, which is endemic for malaria and poverty leads to frequent episodes of infection, certain drugs can cause fatal hemolysis. So as per WHO protocol our population needs screening for G6PD deficiency. We suggest that quantitative G6PD levels should be done at least prior to anti-malarial therapy in every infant.