Erythrocyte enzyme disorders in children.

Erythrocyte metabolic abnormalities should be considered as a possible cause of hemolysis when there is no evidence of an immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, no consumptive red blood cell disorder, no morophologic or laboratory data to suggest a problem of the red cell membrane, and no evidence of a quantitative or qualitative defect in hemoglobin synthesis. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is clearly the most common enzyme deficiency causing clinical problems.