Analysis of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral blood lymphocytes of newborns after vitamin K prophylaxis at birth.
In many countries vitamin K prophylaxis at birth is recommended to prevent bleeding in infants due to vitamin K deficiency. Because the incidence of clinical vitamin K deficiency is very low, such a vitamin K administration should be completely safe. However, an increase in sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of fetal sheep 24 h after injection of vitamin K1 has been reported. Therefore, a study concerning genotoxicity of vitamin K1 in man was conducted. Sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations were analyzed in peripheral blood lymphocytes of six newborns 24 h after intramuscular administration of 1 mg vitamin K1 and in six control neonates. The mean number of sister chromatid exchanges per metaphase in the vitamin K group was 8.88 +/- 1.22 as compared with 9.05 +/- 1.14 in the control group (NS). The mean number of chromosome aberrations per 100 mitoses was 3.00 +/- 2.61 in the vitamin K group and 2.50 +/- 1.87 in the control group (NS). Vitamin K1 plasma concentrations ranged from 115 to 1150 ng/mL (255 to 2555 x 10(-9) M) in the supplemented group, a 5000-fold rise as compared with the control group (p less than 0.01). We did not find any evidence for genetic toxicity due to the administration of 1 mg vitamin K1 intramuscularly to the newborn child.
Cornelissen
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Smeets
D
D
Merkx
G
G
De Abreu
R
R
Kollee
L
L
Monnens
L
L
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D010837:Vitamin K 1 / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009153:Mutagens; D010837:Vitamin K 1