Anemia during actue infections. Role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Negroes

Abstract

A total of 206 consecutive Negro patients admitted to the hospital were evalu-ated for acute infection, anemia, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency. Of 47 patients with acute infections, 18 were found to be anemic by criteria established in this study. Although the incidence of G-6-PD deficiency was only slightly higher in the total population of anemic patients (20%) than in controls (16%), it was much higher (67%) in patients with both infection and anemia. The hematocrit value of infected patients without G-6-PD deficiency was only moderately decreased while in contrast, the presence of G-6-PD deficiency was associated with a marked increase of the hematocrit value in patients with acute infections. Although these studies showed an association between the anemia of acute infection and G-6-PD deficiency in Negroes, it has not been possible to establish the relative roles of drugs administered, or the infection per se. However, the observations can be useful in alerting one to the possible presence of G-6-PD deficiency in such patients, and may be important with regard to choice of therapeutic agents.