H. Akin et al., PREVALENCE OF ERYTHROCYTE PYRUVATE-KINASE DEFICIENCY AND NORMAL VALUES OF ENZYME IN A TURKISH POPULATION, Human heredity, 47(1), 1997, pp. 42-46
A pyruvate kinase deficiency prevalence study and determination of the
normal levels of the enzyme were performed in Antalya city, Turkey. H
eparinized blood samples obtained from a representative population of
the Antalya province (617 women and 573 men) were tested for pyruvate
kinase deficiency by qualitative and quantitative tests between April
1992 and March 1994. The mean pyruvate kinase activity was found to be
19.8 +/- 4.0 IU/g Hb whereas the enzyme activity of deficient cases v
aried between 7.5 and 12.2 IU/g Hb. Taking into account that pyruvate
kinase deficiency is the second most common cause of nonspherocytic co
ngenital hemolytic anemia, detection of deficient cases by genetic scr
eening tests appears to be an informative clinical indicator of hemoly
tic anemia.