Effect of Vitamin-K Dosage on Plasma-Bilirubin Levels in Premature Infants

Severe neonatal jaundice associated with glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: pathogenesis and global epidemiology

“…Thus, these cases had many similarities with the acute hemolytic crises of favism, and of primaquine or naphthalene exposure. The connection with high doses of water soluble Vitamin K analogues was made after an abrupt increase in the incidence of severe NHB and Kernicterus followed the unfortunate and unjustifiable increase in the dose of menadione diphosphate (SynkavitR) given to preterm newborn infants from 1-2 mg to 30-90 mg (83)(84)(85)(86)(87). A similar outbreak of hyperbilirubinemia followed the administration to the mothers during labor of 72 mg and to the infants of 5 mg of another Vitamin K analoguemenadione sodium bisulfite (88).…”

Factors Associated with Impairment of the Early Development of Prematures

“…If the infant's level failed to rise above 10.0 mg.% within a week, determinations were discontinued. The infants received up to a maximum of 2.5 mg. of a water soluble analog of vitamin K (Synkavite /R/) on the first day of life only because of published reports that hyperbilirubinemia occurred following the administration of large repeated doses (Bound & Telfer, 1956). Sulfonamides were not administered because of the association of kemicterus with low serum bilirubin levels in premature infants receiving Gantrisin (Harris, Lucey, & Maclean, 1958).…”

Digestive System

“…The latter was turned into trimethyl amine by intestinal flora, and feeding trimethylamine also produced fetor hepaticus. Excessive doses of vitamin K appear to deepen the jaundice of infants with icterus neonatorum (210).…”