blood disorders
Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency
Diagnosis
Blood test of G6PD activity Evaluation of a blood smear Doctors suspect G6PD deficiency in people who develop jaundice during an infectious illness or after taking a drug that is known to trigger an episode. Blood tests, including examining a blood smear, are done to see if red blood cells are breaking down. If they are, doctors can measure G6PD activity in red blood cells. They measure G6PD activity during blood cell breakdown and then again after it has stopped. Screening tests for G6PD deficiency can be done on people at risk for the disorder. 