ACTIVATION MARKERS OF THE CLOTTING AND FI BRINOLYTIC SYSTEMS IN NEWBORN

Background Activation markers of the clotting and fibrinolytic systems are elevated immediately after birth and decline to near adult levels during the first 24 hours of life. The aims of this study were to inv estigate, whether the activation of both clotting and fibrinolysis is dependent on the mode of delivery, and to measure activation markers i n newborns with infection beyond the first days of life. Patients We h ave studied activation markers thrombin-antithrombin III complex, prot hrombin fragment 1+2, D-dimer and plasmin-antiplasmin complex by use o f commercially available ELISA techniques in 20 newborns after electiv e Cesarean sections because of previous sections. in 20 newborns after Cesarean sections and a trial of labor with uterine contractions over a period of >20 hours and in 20 newborns (34.-41. gestational week) a ged 10-25 days with infection. 20 healthy adults served as controls. R esults A significant elevation of all activation markers was observed both in the newborns after Cesarean sections and in the 10-25 days old children with infection. There were no differences among newborns aft er elective sections compared to newborns after section and a trial of labor with uterine contractions over a period of >20 hours. Conclusio ns The clotting and fibrinolytic systems reveal increased activation i mmediately after delivery, but uterine contractions over a period of > 20 hours seem not to make a difference. During infection, the activati on markers of the hemostatic system in newborns aged 10-25 days behave s similarly to the mature adult system.