ERYTHROCYTE DPNH DEPENDENT DIAPHORASE LEVELS IN INFANTS

Abstract

Infants during the first 4 months of life are reported to be more susceptible than older children and adults to the acquisition of methemoglobinemia, and premature neonates are more susceptible than full-term infants. Erythrocyte DPNH-dependent diaphorase is the major enzyme which catalyzes the reduction of methemoglobin to hemoglobin. The data presented show that during the period of infancy in which susceptibility to methemoglobinemia has been reported there is decreased diaphorase activity, and this is postulated to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of methemoglobinemia in infancy.