Rise in late onset vitamin K deficiency bleeding in young infants because of omission or refusal of prophylaxis at birth.
Pediatr Neurol
; 50(6): 564-8, 2014 Jun.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24842255
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Newborns are at risk for vitamin K deficiency and subsequent bleeding unless supplemented at birth. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding is an acquired coagulopathy in newborn infants because of accumulation of inactive vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors, which leads to an increased bleeding tendency. Supplementation of vitamin K at birth has been recommended in the United States since 1961 and successfully reduced the risk of major bleeding. Refusal or omission of vitamin K prophylaxis is increasing and puts newborn infants at risk for life-threatening bleeding. PATIENTS Over an eight month period, we encountered seven infants with confirmed vitamin K deficiency; five of these patients developed vitamin K deficiency bleeding.RESULTS:
The mean age of the seven infants with vitamin K deficiency was 10.3 weeks (range, 7-20 weeks); manifestations ranged from overt bleeding to vomiting, poor feeding, and lethargy. None of the infants had received vitamin K at birth, and all were found to have profound derangement of coagulation parameters, which corrected rapidly with administration of vitamin K in IV or intramuscular form. Four of the seven infants had intracranial hemorrhage; two of these infants required urgent neurosurgical intervention.CONCLUSION:
Supplementation of vitamin K at birth for all newborns prevents major hemorrhagic complications, such as intracranial bleeding, due to vitamin K deficiency. Parental refusal of vitamin K is increasingly common. It is critical that health care providers and the public be made aware of the varied presentation of this preventable acquired coagulopathy.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
Problema de salud:
1_doencas_nao_transmissiveis
Asunto principal:
Deficiencia de Vitamina K
/
Negativa del Paciente al Tratamiento
/
Sangrado por Deficiencia de Vitamina K
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Pediatr Neurol
Asunto de la revista:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PEDIATRIA
Año:
2014
Tipo del documento:
Article