KADİR DEMİRCAN, MUSTAFA SOLAK
Kocatepe Tıp Dergisi - 1999;1(1):41-44
Glucose -6- Phosphate Dehydrogenase, (G6PD, BC. 1.1.1.49) is a ubiquitous enzyme which has been detected in all organism, from bacteria to protozoa to higher animals, and in all the cell type of multicellular organisms. G6PD is the first and key regulatory enzyme of the penthose phosphate pathway whose function in the cell is the formation of ribosc-5-phosphate for nucleic acid synthesis and the generation of NADPH, a compound required for various biosynthetic pathways. Previous reports have indicated a high prevalence G6PD deficiency in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, but no study has been made on normal values of this enzyme in Manisa, a province located on the Aegean region of the country. A total of 601 clinically healthy males (n=219, ages ranged from 0 to 90 years; mean= 37.35 years) and females (n=322, ages ranged from 0 to 80 years; mcan= 34.54 years) were studied. They were randomly selected and had no leukocytosis or trombocytosis. G6PD activity was assayed by the modified spectrophotometric methods of Komberg, Horecker, and of Lohr and Waller (Sigma diagnostic, USA). Complete deficiency was observed 15 (5.37 %) and mild deficiency was not observed in males. Complete and mild deficiencies were observed in 2 (0.62 %) and 14 (4.34 %) females, respectively. The normal mean value of G6PD in male was 8.72±1.86 W/gHb and 261.33167.88 IU/1012 RBC, while in females it was 9.2111.68 IU/gHb and 271.24160.30 IU/1012 RBC. There was no difference between values of males and females without G6PD deficiency. Our results have indicated that Manisa city has a lower prevalence value than in both Adana and Antalya located on the Mediterranean coast of the country, having the highest prevalence values in Turkey.
