Association between glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and neonatal jaundice: interaction with multiple risk factors
Yu, M.W.; Hsiao, K.J.; Wuu, K.D.; Chen, C.J.
International Journal of Epidemiology 21(5): 947-952
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5771 PMID: 1468858 DOI: 10.1093/ije/21.5.947Document Number: 321935
Researchers compared data on 333 newborns with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency at 5 public and 5 private hospitals in Taiwan with data on 653 birth date, sex, and delivery hospital matched newborns to examine the peak serum bilirubin (PSB) level and incidence of neonatal jaundice of both G-6-PD deficient and G-6-PD normal newborns. They also wanted to determine whether an association exists between G-6-PD activity level and incidence of neonatal jaundice and associations between G-6-PD deficiency and other likely risk factors of neonatal jaundice. A significant association between G-6-PD deficiency and neonatal jaundice existed among male neonates but not female neonates. Male neonates had a considerably higher incidence of neonatal jaundice than did female neonates (11.6% vs. 6.2%). There was a significant inverse dose-response relationship between G-6-PD activity and neonatal jaundice among the male neonates (p.01). For example, the relative risk was 1.78 for 20.1-29.9 relative intensity, 2.01 for 15.1-20, 2.61 for 10.1-15, and 4.07 for 10. Maternal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier status and hypoxia/asphyxia significantly increased the risk for G-6-PD deficiency in male neonates (p.05). The multiple regression analysis indicated a significant effect of G-6-PD deficiency on the PSB level and the incidence rate of severe neonatal jaundice. There was a similar significant interaction between G-6-PD deficiency and maternal HBsAg carrier status.