Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago [abstract]

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD D- Glucose 6 Phosphate NADP oxiderductase E.C.1.1.1.49) is ubiquitous enzyme catalyzing the first and rate limiting reaction in the pentose phosphate pathway. In erythrocytes, the role of this pathway becomes more essential since it is the soul source of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). There are over 100 genetic variants of G6PD deficiency, each presenting varying deficient levels. The enzymopathy has been found to be associated with a number of diseases. Previous studies on the relationship between the deficiency and diabetes mellitus have revealed that persons with diabetes mellitus exhibit a higher prevalence of G6PD deficiency than non-diabetic persons. This report deals with preliminary results of a study of the relationship between G6PD deficiency and diabetes mellitus in 71 known diabetic patients of African descent. In addition to the assay for G6PD activity, the level of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined, since a number of studies have suggested that G6PD deficiency is most prevalent in instances of prolonged hyperglycaemia. Of these 71 patients, 46 (64.8 percent) showed varying levels of deficiency (p= 0.018). The G6PD status did not appear to be affected by age, duration of the disease, or the treatment undergone. However, a higher percentage of the elevated HbA1c level was found among the deficient diabetic patients (14.6 percent) than among the non-deficient diabetic patients (4.4 percent). These findings indicate that in addition to there being some positive relationship between diabetes mellitus and G6PD deficiency, it appears that the G6PD-deficient diabetic patients do not cope with the disease as well as those diabetic patients that are not G6PD-deficient. (AU)