Protein c is a vitamin K-dependent zymogen of a serine protease. Activated protein c was found to have a potent anticoagulant activity through selective inactivation of factors va and VIIIa, both of which are involved in the rate limiting steps of coagulation (Esmon et al., 1984). In addition, it . was found to enhance the fibrinolytic activity by increasing the level of plasminogen activator through neutralization of PA inhibitor activity (Sakata et al., 1986).
The aim of this work is to monitor the protein c status in healthy and septiciaemic neonates. 30 neonates aged 7 days of life, who had manifested clinical evidences of sepsis as well as 30 neonates age matched controls were studied.
All cases were subjected to full medical history and full clinical examination . The following investigations were done; blood culture, complete blood picutre, pprothrombin time, protein c in plasma and fibrin degradation products in serum.
The results of this work showed that :
The commonest risk factors for neonatal septicaemia were premature rupture of membrances, followed by presinatal asphyxia, then maternal diabetes mellitus and lastly preclamptic texaemia and 40% of case had no apparent risk factors.
Among the varios clincial presentations suggesting neonatal sepsis, the commonest were respiratory diseases, followed by sclerema, thermal instability and prolonged jaundice.