Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of Protein C K-sensitive in the blood of full-term healthy newborns and to evaluate its pathophysiologic role in neonatal age.
The levels of Protein C evaluated by electroimmunoassay in 77 full-term infants of weight appropriate for gestational age and breast feeding,from 1 to 360 days old were low in the first 5 days of life(from 38.9 ± 15.4% in the 1st day to 27.2 ± 16.9% in the 5th day) and lower than the critical thrombotic level.
The antigenic activity increased progressively from the 2nd week of life and the adult values were reached after the 6th month (84.3 ± 15.5%).
The reduction of Protein C levels impairs the ability of the newborn to control consumptive disorders, thus exposing the infants to the risk of thrombotic conditions in neonatal age particularly if trigger events (prematurity,sepsis,hypoxia,etc) occur.
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Schettini, F., Mattia, D., Altomare, M. et al. Post-natal development of Protein C K-sensitive in Full-term newborns. Pediatr Res 18, 806 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198408000-00085
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198408000-00085