A patient with known glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency may have a higher-than-expected enzyme activity in red blood cells under a number of circumstances.
Causes of a higher-than-expected G6PD activity level in a patient with G6PD deficiency:
(1) specimen mixup
(2) recent transfusion
(3) recent hemolytic episode, with lysis of older erythocytes with the greatest enzyme deficiency
If the patient has been recently transfused, then retest after all of the transfused cells are gone, usually after 3 months.
If the patient has had a hemolytic episode, then retest in 3 months.
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