Influence of the type of feeding on the presence of PIVKA-II in infants.

PIVKA-II levels were studied by a highly sensitive immunological method in two groups of infants, breast-fed and bottle-fed, at the age of 4 days, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. PIVKA-II could be demonstrated in 9 infants after the age of 1 month when they were breast-fed. In none of the bottle-fed infants PIVKA-II was present during the same period. This significant difference can probably be explained by the lower vitamin K1 content of human milk compared to commercial formulas. The frequently occurring biochemical deficiency of vitamin K indicates the need of prophylactic administration of vitamin K to all newborns.