title: Can the administration of antithrombin III decrease the risk of cerebral hemorrhage in premature infants?
abstract: This study was carried out to determine whether the administration of antithrombin III decreases the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants. In a randomized study, 60 infants born before 30 weeks of gestation were assigned to receive a loading dose of antithrombin III or placebo. There was no significant difference in the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage between the antithrombin III and the placebo group (27.5 vs. 32%). Partial thromboplastin time, Quick's prothrombin time and platelet count were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. We conclude that the administration of antithrombin III during the first 2 days of life does not decrease incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage. Antithrombin III is a very expensive therapy and its benefits should be carefully investigated before being recommended as valuable therapy.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fulia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordaro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gitto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gitto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adelardi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barberi
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D010976:Platelet Count; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000517:prevention & control; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D000990:Antithrombin III