Vitamin K deficiency in severely disabled children

Vitamin K status was examined in 21 severely disabled children in our hospital from September 2001 to August 2002, and 9 children were found to have a vitamin K deficiency. The 21 patients were divided into two groups: group A, 9 patients with vitamin K deficiency, and group B, 12 patients without vitamin K deficiency. The laboratory data and background factors in the two groups were compared statistically. In group A, all patients received enteral nutrition and anticonvulsants. The protein induced by vitamin K absence-II values were elevated in eight patients. Seven exhibited a bleeding tendency. Six developed vitamin K deficiency in association with infection and four were treated with antibiotics. All showed a good response to the administration of vitamin K. The patients in group A had factors such as use of antibiotics, infection, and elemental nutrition at significantly higher rates than those in group B. Data indicating nutrition factors such as body weight, caloric intake, total protein level, and hemoglobin level were not significantly different between the two groups. Severely disabled children suffer from deficiencies of various nutritional elements. However, vitamin K deficiency in severely disabled children has not been fully investigated. Infection, use of antibiotics, and elemental nutrition are risk factors for vitamin K deficiency in severely disabled children. In severely disabled children, there might be marginal vitamin K intake via enteral nutrition, so more vitamin K supplementation is necessary, especially with infection and use of antibiotics.