Question

A 4 year old girl was brought to her pediatrician by her mother for her routine check-up. The mother stated that after just slight injuries, the child seemed to have mild bleeding that persisted for hours. The physician ordered a complete coag screen and received the following results;

PT: 22.4 sec.

PTT: 49.8 sec.

BOTH corrected by adsorbed plasma/NEITHER corrected by aged serum

TT: 17 sec.

BT: 5 min.

1. Possible deficiency?

2. Treatment? yes or no

3. If so, what?

Answer 1

QUESTION: A 4 YEAR OLD WAS BROUGHT TO HER PEDIATRICIAN BY HER MOTHER FOR HER ROUTINE CHECK-UP. THE MOTHER STATED THAT AFETR JUST SLIGHT INJURIES, THE CHILD SEEMED TO HAVE MILD BLEEDING THAT PERSISTED FOR HOURS. THE PHYSICIAN ORDERED A COMPLETE COAG SCREEN AND RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING RESULTS; PT 22.4 SEC PTT:49.8 SEC BOTH CORRECTED BY ADSORBED PLASMA/NEITHER CORRECTED BY AGED SERUM TT:17 SEC BT:5 MIN,

ANSWER: POSSIBLE DEFICIENCY: VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY.

REASON:

• VITAMIN K IS ESSENTIAL FACTOR OF BLOOD COAGULATION INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE BODY.
• COAGULATION TEST: NORMAL PT: 10-20 SEC;NORMAL PTT:35-40 SEC.
• SINCE THERE IS PROLONGED TIME OF COAGULATION FACTORS , IT MAY BE DUE TO DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN K.

TREATMENT:

• YES . TREATMENT OF VITAMIN K IS AVAILABLE : PHYTONADIONE 55mcg per day PO.
• INCLUDE GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES IN THE DIET