G6PD Test Price in Pakistan: Rs 1,540 at Marham Lab

G6PD stands for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. MedlinePlus explains that it is an enzyme which helps your red blood cells work properly, and that red blood cells move oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. If you do not have enough of it, that is known as G6PD deficiency. At Marham Lab a G6PD test costs Rs 1,540, reduced from Rs 2,200.

MedlinePlus describes G6PD deficiency as a genetic disorder that is inherited from parent to child, and states that it is more common in people of African, Mediterranean, or Asian descent.

It also notes that the deficiency mainly affects men. Women can be affected though they are more likely to be carriers of the defective gene, meaning they may have no symptoms while still being able to pass the gene to their children.

So this is a condition that runs in families and is commoner in this part of the world than in many others. If a brother, uncle or son has had an unexplained episode of jaundice or dark urine, that is a reason to mention it to your doctor.

This is the single most useful thing to understand about G6PD deficiency, and it is why the condition is manageable.

MedlinePlus states that most people with G6PD deficiency do not have symptoms until they are exposed to certain triggers which set off the destruction of red blood cells. It lists them.

Ibuprofen and aspirin are sold without prescription on every corner here and are the usual first choice for fever and pain. For someone with G6PD deficiency that matters a great deal, which is the practical reason to know your status.

MedlinePlus explains what the triggers set off: G6PD deficiency can cause the destruction of your red blood cells, and when they are destroyed faster than your body can replace them, that is called haemolytic anaemia. If you have it, your cells do not get all the oxygen they need.

MedlinePlus lists the symptoms of haemolytic anaemia that prompt a G6PD test.

• Fatigue
• Pale skin, or jaundice which turns the skin and eyes yellow
• Rapid heart rate
• Shortness of breath
• Dark or yellow orange coloured urine

Dark urine alongside yellow eyes after a course of medicine or a bout of fever is the pattern that should bring this test to mind.

MedlinePlus gives two specific reasons a baby might need this test.

Your newborn might need a G6PD test if they have jaundice that does not go away in two weeks or that is not caused by another condition. A baby may also be tested if there is a family history of G6PD deficiency.

Most newborn jaundice settles on its own, as the [bilirubin page](/labs/tests/bilirubin-test-price) explains. Jaundice that is still there at two weeks is the signal that something else may be driving it.

For a baby, MedlinePlus describes a heel stick: the provider cleans the heel with alcohol, pricks it with a small needle, collects a few drops of blood and applies a bandage. It notes the baby may feel a little pinch and a small bruise may form, which should go away quickly.

MedlinePlus sets out three situations, and the one for women is the one most often misread.

Lower than normal G6PD means you have a G6PD deficiency. MedlinePlus notes your symptoms and risk of haemolytic anaemia can vary depending on your personal health history and your exposure to triggers.

A woman with slightly lower than normal G6PD may be a carrier, meaning one defective gene and one normal gene. MedlinePlus explains she might have no symptoms, since the normal gene usually makes enough healthy red blood cells, though she has a risk of passing the defective gene to her children. It adds that male children are more likely to develop symptoms than female children.

A man with a normal amount of G6PD is unlikely to have a deficiency, and if he has anaemia it may be due to another cause.

There is one timing trap worth knowing. MedlinePlus notes your provider may want to repeat the test in a few weeks if you had it during an episode of haemolytic anaemia. During an episode the older deficient cells have already been destroyed, so a test taken then can read falsely reassuring. If you were tested while acutely unwell, ask about repeating it.