PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effect of antithrombin lll concentrates in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) of neonates. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 11 newborn patients who had been admitted and diagnosed as DIC at the neonatal intensive care unit of Sanggye Paik Hospital from November, 1995 to September, 1996. RESULTS: There were 6 males and 5 females. In 9 cases (81.8%), gestational age was less than 37 weeks and birth weight was less than 2,500g. Sepsis was the most common underlying disease in 9 cases (81.8%), followed by respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, and fulminant hepatitis. The etiologic organisms of sepsis, were gram negative organisms, fungus, and gram positive organisms in decreasing order. There were signs of gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage, and intracranial hemorrhage as a result of DIC. In the clinical outcome of DIC patients, 6 out of 11 patients survived (54.5%). CONCLUSION: Administration of antithrombin lll concentrates in DIC of neonates produces improvement of clinical course and survival.
Birth Weight ; Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Female ; Fungi ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Male ; Sepsis