Haemorrhagic disease in newborn and older infants: a study in hospitalized children in Kelantan, Malaysia

This is a retrospective study of the epidemiology, clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome of haemorrhagic disease in 42 Kelantanese infants who were admitted to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during a 2-year period (1987-1988). Classical haemorrhagic disease of the newborn was the commonest presentation (48%), followed by early onset (29%) and late onset (24%) disease. Home deliveries accounted for 81% of the affected infants. Most of these babies were not given vitamin K at birth in contrast to those delivered in hospitals. All except one infant were breastfed. The six commonest presenting clinical features were pallor, jaundice, umbilical cord bleeding, tense fontanelle, convulsions and hepatomegaly. All the infants had prolonged prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times which were corrected by administration of vitamin K. Subdural haemorrhage was the commonest form of intracranial haemorrhage, followed by subarachnoid haemorrhage. The overall case fatality rate was 14%. The results of this study once again emphasize the value of vitamin K prophylaxis in the newborn.