Prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and the role of the A- variant in a Saudi population

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency among Saudi men, and to establish the frequency of the two mutations/polymorphisms associated with the G6PD A- mutation--G to A at nucleotide 202 (G202A) and A to G at nucleotide 376 (A376G)--in those found to have G6PD deficiency.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from healthy male Saudi donors and screened for G6PD deficiency using a fluorescent spot test. Samples from subjects shown to be G6PD deficient and controls were then analysed for the presence of the G202A and A376G mutations on exons 4 and 5, respectively, of the G6PD gene using polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Result: A total of 2100 male subjects were screened; of these, 100 (4.76%) were shown to be G6PD deficient. The G6PD A- mutation (presence of both G202A and A376G) was observed in two (2%) of the 100 subjects with G6PD deficiency. There was no significant difference in the frequency of this mutation between those with G6PD deficiency and controls.

Conclusion: The G6PD A- mutation (G202A and A376G) does not appear to have a role in G6PD deficiency in a Saudi population.

Keywords: A376G; A− mutation; G202A; Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; Saudi population.