New data on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Saudi Arabia. G6PD variants, and the association between enzyme deficiency and hemoglobins S.

67/369 male Saudi subjects (18%) were found to be G6PD deficient on screening, and electrophoresis of blood samples stored on filter paper strips revealed B-like variants with intermediate enzyme activityin 11%, presumed Mediterranean variant in 13%, Gd + (A+) in 2%, Gd--(A--7) in 0.8%, and indeterminate enzyme status in 6% of the subjects tested. A significant association between G6PD deficiency and hemoglobin S correlated with previous studies on similar samples from the general population.