Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: another risk factor for necrotizing enterocolitis?

We recently observed several babies in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) who were subsequently found to have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. The aim of this study was to explore the association of NEC and G6PD deficiency. G6PD deficiency was significantly higher (27.8%) in infants with NEC compared with the 5.3% prevalence among NICU admissions (odds ratio = 6.9; 95% confidence interval = 2 to 23.5). G6PD deficiency also was found to be a marker for more severe NEC. G6PD deficiency should be considered a risk factor for NEC.