Which of the following is a known trigger of oxidative stress leading to hemolysis in G6PD deficiency?

Which of the following is a known trigger of oxidative stress leading to hemolysis in G6PD deficiency?

• A. Vitamin C
• B. Phenytoin
• C. Sulfonamide antibiotics
• D. Fava beans

Answer: (C)

G6PD deficiency leaves red blood cells vulnerable to oxidative stress because the NADPH-dependent glutathione system can’t be maintained, so reactive oxygen species accumulate and damage the cell membrane, sometimes forming Heinz bodies and causing hemolysis. Sulfonamide antibiotics are a classic drug-induced trigger of this oxidative stress. They act as oxidants in red cells, and without sufficient NADPH and reduced glutathione, the cells can’t neutralize the damage, leading to hemolysis in G6PD-deficient individuals. Fava beans are another known trigger due to their oxidative compounds, but among common exam choices, sulfonamides are the standard example of an oxidative drug precipitating hemolysis. Vitamin C is not typically a trigger at usual doses, and phenytoin is not a primary oxidative stress inducer in this scenario.

G6PD deficiency leaves red blood cells vulnerable to oxidative stress because the NADPH-dependent glutathione system can’t be maintained, so reactive oxygen species accumulate and damage the cell membrane, sometimes forming Heinz bodies and causing hemolysis.

Sulfonamide antibiotics are a classic drug-induced trigger of this oxidative stress. They act as oxidants in red cells, and without sufficient NADPH and reduced glutathione, the cells can’t neutralize the damage, leading to hemolysis in G6PD-deficient individuals. Fava beans are another known trigger due to their oxidative compounds, but among common exam choices, sulfonamides are the standard example of an oxidative drug precipitating hemolysis. Vitamin C is not typically a trigger at usual doses, and phenytoin is not a primary oxidative stress inducer in this scenario.