All issues > Volume 33(5); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(5):606-614. Published online May 31, 1990.

Preventive Effect of Single Dose Vitamin K for the Late Hemorrhagic Disease of Infancy.

Young Youn Choi¹, Hwa Il Kwag¹, Byung Hee Kim¹, Tai Ju Hwang¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Chonnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea

Received: September 27, 1989;  Accepted: November 3, 1989.

Abstract

To evaluate the preventive effect of single dose vitamin K for the late hemorrhagic disease of infancy, hepaplastin test was carried out in 15 breast-fed and 12 formula-fed babies. Vitamin Ki lmg was injected immediately after the birth intramuscularly and the test was performed the 1st (before vitamin k administration), 3rd, 7th, 28th days of life and the end of the 2nd and 4th months of life (after administration).
Results
obtained were summarized as follows: The level (%) of hepaplastin was significantly elevated in both breast-fed and formula-fed groups until the 4th month after administration of vitamin K comparing with the level before administration. The difference of hepaplastin level between breast-fed and formula-fed group was not observed until the 28th day of life. But it was significantly higher in formula-fed than in breast-fed group at the 2nd and 4th months of life The cases below the 35% of hepaplastin level after administration of vitamin K were significantly decreased until the 2nd month in breast-fed group and until the 4th month except the 3rd day in formula-fed group. But difference was not observed between groups

Keywords :Vitamin K, Late hemorrhagic disease of infancy, Hepaplastin test, Breast-fed, Formula-fed