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Plasma protein Z levels in healthy and high‐risk newborn infants
Author(s) -
Jr F Schettini,
Laforgia N,
Altomare M,
Mautone A,
Vecchio GC
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb02992.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pediatrics
Aim : To evaluate plasma protein Z (PZ) levels in healthy and high‐risk newborn infants. Methods : A longitudinal observational study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: healthy term and pre‐term newborns normal for gestational age and newborns belonging to one of the following groups: newborns small for gestational age (SGA), newborns affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), newborns from mothers with pre‐eclampsia. Newborns with sepsis, congenital malformation or haemorrhagic disorders were excluded. Plasma PZ levels, protein C (PC) concentration, PC activity and protein‐induced vitamin K absence levels were measured. Results : 53 newborns were enrolled into the study. PZ and PC antigen levels varied significantly among analysed subgroups on day 1 ( p < 0.01): lower levels of these inhibitors were found in RDS newborns (group C), newborns from mothers affected by pre‐eclampsia (group D) and SGA newborns (group E) than in healthy term and preterm newborns (groups A and B). Conclusion : PZ deficiency occurs in newborns affected by severe RDS, in newborns from pre‐eclamptic mothers and in SGA newborns, probably owing to activated coagulation in the first two conditions and to reduced PZ synthesis in the last condition.