Biography
Biography: Marian Hendy
Abstract
HDN or its new name; VKDB (vitamin K deficiency bleeding), because vitamin K deficiency is the commonest cause of HDN, but there are other causes as haemophilia, thrombocytopenia and others… HDN can be inherited or acquired. VKDB is a bleeding problem that occurs in a baby during the first few days of life. Babies are normally born with low levels of vitamin K, an essential factor in blood clotting. Vitamin K is needed to form blood clots and to stop bleeding, its deficiency can lead to a serious bleeding problem known as (VKDB). Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn can lead to brain damage and death. Classic VKBD occurs between the 2-5 days of life with most of the cases being idiopathic. Late VKBD is characterized by bleeding in infants aged 2-16 weeks due to severe vitamin K deficiency, occurring primarily in exclusively breast fed infants. VKDB is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. On physical examination, there will be pallor and cooling of the extremities, vital signs will start to deviate from normal, tachycardia being the first vital sign to increase, which is followed by tachypnea. For early and classic forms of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn, the treatment is with oral vitamin K (2mg dose) repeated at 2-4 weeks and at 6-8 weeks. For infants weighing less than 1500 gm, 0.5 mg IM single dose is given. Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn is a life-threatening condition associated with high mortality and morbidity, but, it can easily be prevented by administering 1 mg IM of vitamin K within 1 hour of birth.