[Erythrocyte glutathione reductase in pregnant women with hemoglobin AA and AS].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the catalytic activity of the red cell enzyme, glutathione reductase (GR) in pregnant women with Hb AS and with Hb AA, and in a group of non-pregnant women with Hb AA, as well as the relationship of GR deficiency with Hb S.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The catalytic activity was determined in presence and absence of FAD by means of a modified Long and Carson technique. 59 pregnant women with AS and 33 with AA phenotypes were studied.

RESULTS

Differences were found in the enzyme's catalytic activity with and without FAD, both in pregnant women with Hb AS (mean values 37.17 nka/g y Hb in whites and 42.84 nkat/g HS in afro people) and in those with Hb AA, and also in non-pregnant women with Hb AA. A high frequency of GR deficiency was found in all groups due to an insufficient riboflavin supply in diet.

CONCLUSION

A correlation between GR deficiency and Hb S could not be demonstrated. The coefficient of activity of red cell GR shows a tendency to increase in pregnancy due to certain riboflavin deficit of diet.