Abstract
Hemorrhagic tendency has been cited as a serious complication in certain sick newborn infants. A prospective study was undertaken to determine the coagulation status of sick newborn infants with the aim of differentiating conditions such as disseminated intravascular coagulation from the normally low coagulation factors characteristic of the newborn period. Fortytwo premature and 15 full-term newborn infants admitted to an intensive care unit for diagnosis and treatment necessitating umbilical vessel catheterization, were studied. Parameters studied were (1) clinical observation of hemorrhage, (2) coagulation factors by Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT), Prothombin Time (PT), Thrombin Time (TT), Prothrombin and Proconvertin Time (P & P), Factor V, Factor VIII and Platelet Count, (3) autopsy findings of hemorrhage and microthrombi. Nine premature and 2 full-term infants bled. The results of the coagulation factors for these infants who bled indicated prolonged PTT, normal PT, normal TT, mean values of P & P 20%, Factor V 57%, Factor VIII 81%, Platelet count 147000/mm2. These values were consistent with values for the newborn period and no significant differences was observed between bleeders and non-bleeders. These results did not provide convincing evidence that disseminated intravascular coagulation was the basis of bleeding in these sick newborn infants.
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Young, L., Pool, J. & Schwartz, H. Coagulation studies in the newborn. Pediatr Res 5, 412 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00171
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00171