The prevalence of vitamin K deficiency in chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

Abstract

Vitamin K deficiency results in the appearance of abnormal prothrombin, deficient in gamma-carboxyglutamic acid, in the blood. The presence of abnormal prothrombin can be eliminated or lowered by the administration of vitamin K. Since the abnormal prothrombin antigen assay is approximately 1000-fold more sensitive than the prothrombin time for the diagnosis of vitamin K deficiency, this assay was used to evaluate patients with intestinal abnormalities. Vitamin K deficiency was found in 18 of 58 patients (31%) with chronic gastrointestinal disease and/or resection. All patients with vitamin K deficiency had either Crohn's disease involving the ileum or ulcerative colitis treated with sulfasalazine or antibiotics. Abnormal prothrombin levels returned toward normal in patients treated with vitamin K but not in patients who were not treated with vitamin K. The mean plasma vitamin E level in patients with vitamin K deficiency was significantly lower than in vitamin-K sufficient patients (p less than 0.01). We conclude that certain chronic forms of gastrointestinal disorders are associated with vitamin K deficiency.

• Authors: S D Krasinski, R M Russell, B C Furie, S F Kruger, P F Jacques, B Furie
• Journal: The American journal of clinical nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr) Vol. 41 Issue 3 Pg. 639-43 (Mar 1985) ISSN: 0002-9165 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3976564 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Chronic Disease
• Crohn Disease (blood)
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Diseases (blood, complications)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prothrombin Time
• Vitamin A (blood)
• Vitamin E (blood)
• Vitamin K Deficiency (blood, etiology)