59Fe study of red blood cells life span in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency heterozygote

In a presumptive heterozygote for congenital nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia caused by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, a fraction of short-living red blood cells was demonstrated by administration of nitrofurantoin in the 22nd day of the 59Fe study of erythrocyte life span. A small percentage of deficient red blood cells in peripheral blood in this case (4%) may originate in the shorter life span of deficient cells and in the proportion of the deficient to normal red blood cells produced.