HYPOPROTHROMBINEMIA IN INFANTS WITH DIARRHEA

THE occurrence of hypoprothrombinemia, with consequent hemorrhagic diathesis in the absence of jaundice has been noted in patients suffering from nontropical sprue, from ulcerative colitis and from a variety of other intestinal disorders associated with diminished intestinal absorption.¹ Moderately decreased plasma prothrombin has also been described in cachectic patients.² On the basis of observation of prolonged coagulation times in patients with celiac disease, it was surmised³ that their tendency for bleeding may be accounted for by deficiency of vitamin K. The incidence of hypoprothrombinemia in infancy is generally thought to be limited to the neonatal period, in which it is recognized as the cause of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. In debilitated infants with chronic diarrhea hemorrhagic manifestations are not infrequent; sometimes when the cutaneous signs are predominant, they are classified as purpura cachectica. The only report available concerning the plasma prothrombin in this condition is that