Auto haemolysis test is positive in –
**Core Concept**
Autohemolysis test is a laboratory test used to diagnose disorders of red blood cell metabolism, specifically those related to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. This test measures the rate of hemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells) in vitro, usually after adding a glucose solution to the blood sample.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The autohemolysis test is positive in conditions where the red blood cells are unable to maintain their internal antioxidant defenses, leading to oxidative stress and subsequent hemolysis. In G6PD deficiency, the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is deficient or defective, impairing the pentose phosphate pathway and resulting in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This triggers the breakdown of red blood cells, making the autohemolysis test positive.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because G6PD deficiency is the most common cause of autohemolysis, not the other conditions listed. Other conditions may cause hemolysis, but they are not typically associated with a positive autohemolysis test.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is not directly related to pyruvate kinase deficiency, which is a different enzyme deficiency that affects red blood cell metabolism.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because hereditary spherocytosis is a disorder of red blood cell membrane structure, not metabolism, and is not typically associated with a positive autohemolysis test.
**Option D:** This option is incorrect because autoimmune hemolytic anemia is an immune-mediated disorder that causes red blood cell destruction, but it is not typically associated with a positive autohemolysis test.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The autohemolysis test is a useful tool in diagnosing G6PD deficiency, particularly in conjunction with other laboratory tests and clinical findings. It's essential to understand the underlying pathophysiology of this test to interpret results accurately.
**Correct Answer:** B. Pyruvate kinase deficiency is not the correct answer, the actual answer is D. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is not typically associated with a positive autohemolysis test.