Vitamin K deficiency in chronic alcoholic males.

Abstract

Twenty male alcoholic subjects were studied initially within 1 day after stopping alcohol and again after about 1 week. Vitamin and mineral measurements were made on blood and abnormal prothrombin molecules quantitated for vitamin K status. Nine of the 20 patients received menadiol after the initial blood sample. Twelve of the alcoholics had significant elevations of abnormal prothrombin. Of these 12, all five who received vitamin K reduced the abnormal prothrombin levels toward normal but no change was observed in the seven who did not receive vitamin K. All nine patients receiving vitamin K lowered the abnormal prothrombin level significantly whereas there was no change in those 11 who did not receive vitamin K. The prothrombin time by the one-stage technique was normal in all patients. These data suggest that the production of abnormal prothrombin is frequently present in alcoholics and this may represent a subclinical vitamin K deficiency.

• Authors: F L Iber, M Shamszad, P A Miller, R Jacob
• Journal: Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research (Alcohol Clin Exp Res) Vol. 10 Issue 6 Pg. 679-81 (Dec 1986) ISSN: 0145-6008 [Print] England
• PMID: 3544923 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Vitamin K
• Prothrombin

Topics

• Adult
• Alcoholism (blood, complications)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prothrombin (metabolism)
• Vitamin K (therapeutic use)
• Vitamin K Deficiency (blood, drug therapy, etiology)