Since NADPH is a necessary cofactor for the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA R), G6PD deficiency appears to be a naturally occurring model of HMG-CoA R restraint, whose consequences are similar to those produced on the same enzyme by statins.
Patients with severe leukocyte G6PD deficiency may present with impairment of NADPH oxidase activity and a history of recurrent infections, mimicking the phenotype of chronic granulomatous disease.
The results obtained confirmed a reduced concentration of NADPH in G6PD deficiency and showed that with the combination of both diseases, the red blood cell contained practically undetectable levels of NADPH.