Subclinical liver dysfunction in one-month-old infants with a low activity of vitamin K dependent coagulant factors assessed by normotest.
To clarify features of late vitamin K deficiency hemorrhagic disease in Japanese infants, seventeen of 1,687 infants screened by normotests were examined for signs and symptoms suggesting hepatobiliary diseases. Clinical observations disclosed findings suggesting hepatobiliary diseases in 7 of the 17 selected infants with normotest values of less than 40%, and 11 infants had abnormal results in one or more liver function tests. Taken together, 14 of the 17 infants had findings suggesting hepatobiliary diseases. Upon vitamin K supplementation normotest values improved in various degrees in all infants, whether or not they had signs or symptoms of hepatobiliary diseases. Late vitamin K deficiency hemorrhagic disease of infancy may be related to subclinical hepatobiliary diseases.
Tazawa
Y
Y
Department of Pediatrics, Akita University School of Medicine.
Hayamizu
S
S
Tamaoki
K
K
Chiba
R
R
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006475:Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
D014812:Vitamin K