Association of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency with diabetes mellitus in ethnic groups of Singapore.

Six hundred and nine male patients suffering from maturity onset diabetes mellitus, comprising 422 Chinese, 66 Malays, and 121 Indians, were investigated to determine the incidence of G6PD deficiency, ABO blood groups, and haemoglobin types, and these were compared with normal healthy controls. A positive association with a higher incidence of G6PD deficiency in diabetics was observed in Chinese and Indian patients. There was no significant difference in the frequencies of ABO blood groups and haemoglobin types between the patients and the controls in any of the ethnic groups studied.