IDIOPATHIC HYPOPROTHROMBINEMIA

Abstract

A case of idiopathic hypoprothrombinemia is presented and the 11 cases in the literature reviewed. This is a disease entity characterized by various bleeding manifestations, always with a prolonged prothrombin time, the other tests of bleeding and coagulation yielding normal or highly variable results, and an inability to respond to vitamin K therapy. The lesion is postulated to exist in the liver cell whose prothrombin producing function is impaired on a congenital or hereditary basis.