Studies on coagulation in newborn infants: liver maturation and vitamin K procoagulant-inhibitor relations
Suzuki, S.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine 7(4): 229-232
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5577 PMID: 480106 Document Number: 142306
Normal and low-birthweight infants were studied by Normotest for their production capapcity of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors after birth and the possible occurrence of PIVKA (proteins induced by vitamin K absence) inhibitors was assessed with Thrombotest. Vitamin K-dependent clotting factors were low, especially in low-birthweight infants; inhibitors of blood coagulation were found in only 4 of 108 infants. This infers that the deficiency of blood coagulation factors is a result of production deficiency of coagulation factors due to the immaturity of the liver. The increasing ratio of Normotest-value was significantly correlated with weeks of gestation and could be used as a measure of liver maturity.