Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkfull text checked★ key study I-LEG-102 in-depth review

G6PD deficiency in Egyptian newborns

Prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in neonates in Egypt.

Overview

Elella SA et al.. Ann Saudi Med 2017 · PMID 28988250 · DOI 10.5144/0256-4947.2017.362

In 2,782 newborns from Menoufia, 4.3% were G6PD-deficient, including 6.2% of boys.

Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: moderate

Study explained simply

What did the researchers want to find out?: Measure G6PD deficiency in newborns.
How was the study done?: Enzyme test of dried blood spots.
How many people, animals or samples were studied?: 2,782 newborns born in 2015.
What was actually found?: 119 deficient (4.3%).
How large was the observed effect?: Boys 6.2%, girls 2.1%.
What do the results mean in everyday life?: Roughly one boy in 16 in this region carries the deficiency that makes fava beans dangerous.
What are the study's limitations?: One governorate; cut-off choices.
What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?: Confirms that favism risk is relevant in Egypt.
Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?: Low relevance for native Europeans.
What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?: It does not show national prevalence or how many affected children develop haemolysis.

Authors: Elella SA et al.
Journal: Ann Saudi Med
Year: 2017
Identifier: PMID 28988250 DOI 10.5144/0256-4947.2017.362 · PMC6074198
Verification: verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 + Crossref works API
Retracted: no
Corrections: none
Extent checked: full text
Conflicts of interest and funding: No conflict of interest declared (full text); funding not stated.

What is the prevalence of G6PD deficiency among newborns in Menoufia governorate, Egypt?

Study design: Cross-sectional study – Cross-sectional newborn screening study (quantitative fluorometric G6PD assay on dried blood spots)
Population: Infants born in 2015, samples collected with the central laboratories of the Ministry of Health
Country: Egypt (Menoufia governorate)
Period: 2015
Sample size: 2,782 newborns (1,453 male, 1,329 female)
Inclusion and exclusion criteria: Randomly selected dried blood spot samples of infants born during 2015.

Exposure / intervention: Not applicable
Comparator: Not applicable
Endpoints: G6PD enzyme activity; deficiency prevalence
Statistical methods: Descriptive proportions; Mann-Whitney test for sex difference

Results: 119/2,782 (4.3%) deficient; males 91/1,453 (6.2%), females 28/1,329 (2.1%); 17 (0.6%) intermediate; male:female ratio 3.2:1.
Absolute risks: 4.3% overall; 6.2% of boys (recalculated Wilson 95% CI 5.1-7.6%).
Authors' conclusion: The prevalence emphasises the importance of neonatal screening, early detection, intervention and genetic counselling.

Orienting tool: none applicable
Type of assessment: simplified assessment (abstract only)
Full formal assessment: no
Overall risk of bias: some concerns
Rationale: Prevalence study; selection procedure only briefly described; limitation stated: no direct sample collection from local centres.

Recalculated prevalence and Wilson CIs agree with the paper (stats/C-LEG-03_elella2017_prevalence.py).

Directly supports the statement that G6PD deficiency is frequent in Egypt (C-LEG-03).

I-LEG-104 found 1.0% in Egyptian men in Kuwait (older method, migrant sample).

Not applicable to native Northern European populations; relevant for people of Egyptian origin.

Best available Egyptian newborn screening estimate found: about 6 in 100 boys deficient in one governorate.

Multidimensional assessment
Multidimensional assessment
Authenticity of the source	verified
Methodological quality	moderate
Risk of bias	some concerns
Precision of results	high
Directness	direct
Reproducibility	partly replicated
Consistency with the overall evidence	consistent
Regional transferability	high
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)	not applicable

Regional variation across Egypt; national survey lacking.