Screening for inborn errors of the erythrocyte metabolism in Northwestern Mexico

Data from a program aiming to the detection of inborn errors of the erythrocyte metabolism (IEEM) in Northwestern Mexican populations are presented. 5,998 individuals were studied and divided in 5 groups: a) 1,022 full-term newborns without jaundice; b) 872 randomly selected full-term newborns; c) 3,243 full-term newborns with jaundice; d) 54 patients with hemolytic anemia, and e) 807 professional blood donors. In groups b, c and d screening for 9 out of 14 IEEM clearly associated with hemolysis was carried out by means of enzymatic fluorescent procedures. In groups a and e only G-6-PD deficiency was investigated. The results suggest that 0.34%, 0.77%, 24% and 0.37% of the individuals from groups b, c, d and e, respectively, have an IEEM. The frequency of G-6-PD deficiency was 0, 0.43%, 1.1%, 30.3% and 0.37% in the males from groups a, b, c, d and e, respectively. The IEEM as a cause of neonatal jaundice seem not to be a public health problem in the studied populations. Systematic screening for: 1) G-6-PD deficiency in newborns with jaundice and 2) IEEM in patients with hemolysis, is recommended.