Abstract
The presence of split products of fibrinogen (SPF) in serum is an indicator of abnormal fibrinogen deposition or breakdown (e.g. intravascular coagulation). Normal serum (53 samples) does not have material reactive with antiserum to human fibrinogen. 66 umbilical cord serums were studied for SPF by a semiquantitative precipitin tube technique using rabbit antiserum to human fibrinogen. 44 of 66 (67 %) of cord serums had significant levels of SPF, including 26 (39%) with high levels (> 2% of tube length). 13 of 32 (41 %) maternal serums obtained immediately post partum had SPF. Serial determinations of SPF in several mothers and infants showed that these products generally disappear rapidly, usually be the second day after birth. No relationship existed between maternal and cord serum levels of SPF in 32 paires specimens; the cord level exceeded the maternal level in 20 instances, the maternal level exceeded the cord level in 7 instances, and in 5 instances neither maternal nor cord serum had SPF. Since gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 indicated that the immunologically active material was a large molecule (MW > 160,000), it is unlikely that SPF in cord serum represents transplacental passage from the maternal circulation. Among randomly selected infants without SPF in their umbilical cord serum, 1 of 16 (6 %) had a respiratory problem or illness during the first days of life. In contrast, 14 of 28 infants (50 %) with SPF greater than 1.0% had a difficult birth or neonatal illness. This included 2 prematures, 2 neonatal deaths, 7 infants with Apgar scores below 7, 4 infants with respiratory problems and 2 infants with cephalo-hematomas. These data suggest that newborn infants with high and/or persistent levels of SPF may be a high risk group. (SPR)
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Stiehm, E., Lobeck, C. 81 Split Products of Fibrinogen in Cord Serum. Pediatr Res 1, 221 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00088
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00088