Controlled trial of fresh frozen plasma in asphyxiated low birthweight infants

Abstract

A controlled trial of fresh frozen plasma in asphyxiated newborn infants weighing less than 2·5 kg is reported, together with coagulation and other data obtained from the infants. The findings based on 66 infants were as as follows. (1) There was no evidence that infusion of fresh frozen plasma prevented intraventricular haemorrhage. (2) Thrombotest did not appear to be a useful discriminant test for `at risk' infants. (3) Asphyxiated low birthweight infants do not respond to vitamin K₁ in respect of thrombotest or prothrombin time. (4) The initial coagulation status of small-for-dates infants could not be distinguished from normal premature infants.