Glucose-6-Phosphatase and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency: How Are They Different?

GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATASE and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) are both important enzymes; a deficiency of either of these enzymes can cause the infant to have significant or life-threatening symptoms. Glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency is a glycogen-storage disease resulting in hypoglycemia and glycogen buildup in the liver that interferes with fat metabolism. G6PD deficiency is an X-linked hereditary disease resulting in nonimmune hemolytic anemia and jaundice. These two diseases sound so similar but are very, very different.