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Can the administration of antithrombin III decrease the risk of cerebral hemorrhage in premature infants?

F Fulia1, S Cordaro, P Meo

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Biology of the Neonate
|February 5, 2003
PubMed

This study was carried out to determine whether the administration of antithrombin III decreases the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants. In a randomized study, 60 infants born before 30 weeks of gestation were assigned to receive a loading dose of antithrombin III or placebo. There was no significant difference in the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage between the antithrombin III and the placebo group (27.5 vs. 32%). Partial thromboplastin time, Quick's prothrombin time and platelet count were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. We conclude that the administration of antithrombin III during the first 2 days of life does not decrease incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage. Antithrombin III is a very expensive therapy and its benefits should be carefully investigated before being recommended as valuable therapy.

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