Leucocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity in G-6-PD deficient subjects

The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) in leucocytes was studied in the following groups of Greek people.Group 1: 43 male children and 16 male students with mean values of enzyme activity of 27.7±16.6 units and 24.6±5.6 units, respectively.Group 2: 15 G-6-PD deficient male children who had never experienced an acute haemolytic episode with a mean value of 10.8±4.6 units.Group 3: 19 G-6-PD deficient male children during favism and 3 months after the haemolytic crisis with mean values of 8±4 units and 9.2±1.9 units, respectively.Group 4: 19 mothers of children from group 3 who by definition were carriers of G-6-PD deficiency had a mean value of 18.2±8.2 units.The difference between means for group 1 and groups 2, 3 and 4 is highly significant (P<0.001).Therefore the enzymatic defect in Greek people is not limited to the erythrocytes but can be also demonstrated in leucocytes.