ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 2139

Retrospective Study: Association of Hydroxychloroquine Use and Hemolytic Anemia in Patients with Low Levels of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD)

Mateo Mejia Saldarriaga1, Ivan Emil Ramirez de Oleo1 and Beverly Johnson2,3, 1Internal Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 2Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 3Rheumatology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

Meeting: 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Adverse events, hydroxychloroquine and safety

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Title: Epidemiology and Public Health Poster III: SLE, SSc, APS, PsA, and Other Rheumatic Diseases

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is linked to hemolytic anemia with certain medications and is the most common enzyme deficiency worldwide. Clinical hemolysis and severity of disease depends on the genotype of G6PD, which also has a different geographic distribution, with the most severe risk of hemolysis in the Mediterranean variant. Although the American College of Rheumatology does not recommend routine testing for G6PD prior to initiation of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the package insert for HCQ does recommend careful use in G6PD deficient patients due to potential for hemolysis. A recent retrospective study from Duke assessed 11 G6PD deficient African American patients exposed to HCQ over 700 months cumulative exposure with no cases of hemolysis during medication exposure. Authors recommended against the routine measure of G6PD levels or withholding therapy with HCQ in African Americans given these results. However, the study population was mainly African American and had minor representation of other ethnicities.

Methods: Eligible subjects in our large, urban medical center were identified using clinical looking glass software from January 1st ,1997 to January 1st, 2018. Data was collected using the institutional EMR. Case records were analyzed for G6PD deficiency, HCQ use, length of exposure to HCQ, demographic characteristics and laboratory evidence of hemolysis.

Results: 5264 patients were prescribed HCQ during the prespecified interval, of which 49.5% (2605 patients) were screened for G6PD deficiency. Of the screened patients, 36 were found to be G6PD deficient. After chart review, 18 G6PD deficient patients were found to be exposed to HCQ. The mean age of the patients was 48 years (SD 14.1, range 18-66), 11 were female, the most common race was African American (n=10) and Hispanic (n=5), and the most common diagnosis was lupus (n=7), followed by rheumatoid arthritis (n=5 ). The mean exposure time was 32.8 months (SD 30.3, range 2-114 months), with a total cumulative exposure of 591 months. No evidence of hemolysis was found, either by clinical or laboratory criteria.

Conclusion: 5264 patients were prescribed HCQ during the prespecified interval, of which 49.5% (2605 patients) were screened for G6PD deficiency. Of the screened patients, 36 were found to be G6PD deficient. After chart review, 18 G6PD deficient patients were found to be exposed to HCQ. The mean age of the patients was 48 years (SD 14.1, range 18-66), 11 were female, the most common race was African American (n=10) and Hispanic (n=5), and the most common diagnosis was lupus (n=7), followed by rheumatoid arthritis (n=5 ). The mean exposure time was 32.8 months (SD 30.3, range 2-114 months), with a total cumulative exposure of 591 months. No evidence of hemolysis was found, either by clinical or laboratory criteria.


Disclosure: M. Mejia Saldarriaga, None; I. E. Ramirez de Oleo, None; B. Johnson, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Mejia Saldarriaga M, Ramirez de Oleo IE, Johnson B. Retrospective Study: Association of Hydroxychloroquine Use and Hemolytic Anemia in Patients with Low Levels of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018; 70 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/retrospective-study-association-of-hydroxychloroquine-use-and-hemolytic-anemia-in-patients-with-low-levels-of-glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-g6pd/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/retrospective-study-association-of-hydroxychloroquine-use-and-hemolytic-anemia-in-patients-with-low-levels-of-glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-g6pd/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology