Late-type vitamin K deficiency bleeding: experience from 120 patients


Ozdemir M. A., KARAKÜKCÜ M., PER H., ÜNAL E., GÜMÜŞ H., PATIROĞLU T.

CHILDS NERVOUS SYSTEM, vol.28, no.2, pp.247-251, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 28 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s00381-011-1575-x
  • Journal Name: CHILDS NERVOUS SYSTEM
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.247-251
  • Keywords: Children, Intracranial hemorrhage, Vitamin K deficiency bleeding, LATE HEMORRHAGIC-DISEASE, INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE, NEWBORN, INFANTS
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Deficiency of vitamin K predisposes to early, classic, or late vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), of which late VKDB may be associated with serious and life-threatening intracranial bleeding. Late VKDB is characterized with intracranial bleeding in infants aged 2-24 weeks due to severe vitamin K deficiency, occurring primarily in exclusively breast-fed infants. Late VKDB is still an important cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We presented 120 cases of late VKDB, which were evaluated at Erciyes University Medical Faculty Hospital between June 1990 and June 2006. RESULTS: Signs and symptoms of the patients were bulging fontanels (70%); irritabilities (50%); convulsions (49%); bleeding and ecchymosis (47%); feeding intolerance, poor sucking, and vomiting (46%); diarrhea (34%); jaundice (11%); and pallor (9%), and among these infants, 21% received medication before the diagnosis (10%, antibiotics; 3%, simethicone; 4%, paracetamol; and 4%, phenobarbital). Intracranial hemorrhage in 88 (73%) patients has been observed. The hemorrhage was subdural in 34 (28%) cases, intracerebral in 28 (23%), subarachnoid in 17 (14%), intraventricular in 9 (8%), intracerebral and subdural in 12 (10%), subdural and subarachnoid in 6 (5%), and combination of intracerebral, subdural, and intraventricular in 14 (12%), and the mortality rate was 31%. CONCLUSION: Although late VKDB leads to significant morbidity and mortality, it can be avoided by providing vitamin K prophylaxis to all newborns. Administration of vitamin K (1 mg) at birth can prevent intracranial bleeding and other hemorrhagic manifestations. PMID:21928065[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
Background Deficiency of vitamin K predisposes to early, classic, or late vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), of which late VKDB may be associated with serious and life-threatening intracranial bleeding. Late VKDB is characterized with intracranial bleeding in infants aged 2-24 weeks due to severe vitamin K deficiency, occurring primarily in exclusively breast-fed infants. Late VKDB is still an important cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries.