Evaluation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency without hemolysis in icteric newborns at Mazandaran province, Iran.

This study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the prevalence of G6PD deficiency, the prevalence of hemolysis with enzyme deficiency and determining the severity of icterus in the hospitalized newborns in our hospital. This prospective descriptive study has been conducted on 1018 icteric newborns admitted to the Bo-Ali Hospital from 2004 to 2007. The dataset included: age, sex, total and direct bilirubin, hemoglobin, reticulocyte count, blood group and Rh of mother and newborn, direct Coombs, G6PD level and the type of treatment. All data was analyzed by using statistical method. From 1018 neonates, 138 neonates (13.6%) were found to have G6PD deficiency. The male to female ratio was 3 to 1 (104 male and 34 female neonates). From 138 neonates with G6PD deficiency, hemolysis was seen in 15 neonates (10.9%) and the rate of G6PD deficiency with hemolysis was 1.6%. Out of 138 patients with G6PD deficiency, 2 patients (0.2%) had blood exchange transfusion. In this study the prevalence of G6PD deficiency in icteric newborns was considerably high and most of them were non hemolytic, so we recommend G6PD test as a screening program for every newborn at the time of delivery.