congenital nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia, a group of blood disorders made up of a number of similar inherited diseases, each with a deficiency of one of the enzymes of red cell glycolysis. Most are associated with varying degrees of hemolysis, but all are less severe than, and are to be differentiated from, the more serious disorder associated with spherocytosis. Compare hemolytic anemia, spherocytic anemia. See also elliptocytosis, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, heme, sickle cell anemia.
