Journal Article

Risk Factors for Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and COVID-19 Disease—A Retrospective Study at a Major Saudi Tertiary Center

Alotaibi, Badi A., Aldali, Jehad A., Aldali, Hamzah J., Alasiri, Glowi A., Al Mugairi, Areej, Elsokkary, Emadeldin M., Almuqrin, Abdulaziz M.

2023

Overview

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) insufficiency is a common enzymatic defect worldwide; it affects over 400 million people and is associated with various disorders. Recent research suggests that G6PD-deficient cells are susceptible to infection by human coronaviruses, as the G6PD enzyme is involved in the metabolism of oxidative stress, which may enhance COVID-19 mortality. This retrospective study aimed to examine the effect of COVID-19 on patients with G6PD deficiency by comparing the laboratory parameters of patients with G6PD enzyme deficiency alone, COVID-19 alone, and those with both COVID-19 and G6PD enzyme deficiency treated at a major Saudi tertiary center. The results indicated significant differences in hematological and biochemical parameters between the three patient groups, indicating that COVID-19 may influence these parameters, and that they could be used to measure the severity of COVID-19 disease. Moreover, this study suggests that patients with G6PD enzyme deficiency may be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Although the study is limited by the lack of a random selection method for group membership, the Kruskal–Wallis H-test was used to statistical assess the data. The study’s findings can enhance the understanding of the relation between COVID-19 infected and G6PD-deficiency patients and inform clinical decision making for an improved patient outcome.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Age groups / Anemia / Antioxidants / biochemical parameters / Chronic illnesses / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - complications / COVID-19 infection / Cytokines / Decision making / Dehydrogenases / Disease / disease susceptibility / Enzymes / Glucose / glucose 6-phosphate / glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) / Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency / Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / glucosephosphate dehydrogenase deficiency / Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency - complications / Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency - epidemiology / hematological / Humans / Infections / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / Metabolism / Military reserves / Mortality / NADP-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase / Orthocoronavirinae / Oxidation / Oxidative metabolism / Oxidative stress / oxidative stress metabolism / patients / Phosphates / Research data management / Retrospective Studies / risk / Risk Factors / Saudi Arabia - epidemiology / Viral infections