Vitamin K
Updated: Nov 27, 2024 Author: Carl M Kraemer, MD, FAAEM, FACEP; Chief Editor: Jun Teruya,
MD, DSc, FCAP more...
Reference Range
Vitamin K is an essential, lipid-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in the production of coagulation
proteins.
The reference range of vitamin K is 0.2-3.2 ng/mL, but impaired blood clotting has been associated
with levels below 0.5 ng/mL by one source. [1] Another source cites a reference range of 0.10-2.2
ng/mL. [2]
Interpretation
Conditions associated with vitamin K deficiency include the following: [3, 4]
Hemorrhagic disease of newborn
Unexpected or excessive bleeding
Osteoporosis (conflicting data [5] )
Conditions that may lead to vitamin K deficiency include the following: [6, 3]
Chronic illness
Malnutrition
Alcoholism
Multiple abdominal surgeries
Long-term parenteral nutrition
Malabsorption (cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, cholestatic disease [biliary
obstruction, primary biliary cirrhosis], celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis)
Parenchymal liver disease
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Updated: Nov 27, 2024 Author: Carl M Kraemer, MD, FAAEM, FACEP; Chief Editor: Jun Teruya,
MD, DSc, FCAP more...
Reference Range
Vitamin K is an essential, lipid-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in the production of coagulation
proteins.
The reference range of vitamin K is 0.2-3.2 ng/mL, but impaired blood clotting has been associated
with levels below 0.5 ng/mL by one source. [1] Another source cites a reference range of 0.10-2.2
ng/mL. [2]
Interpretation
Conditions associated with vitamin K deficiency include the following: [3, 4]
Hemorrhagic disease of newborn
Unexpected or excessive bleeding
Osteoporosis (conflicting data [5] )
Conditions that may lead to vitamin K deficiency include the following: [6, 3]
Chronic illness
Malnutrition
Alcoholism
Multiple abdominal surgeries
Long-term parenteral nutrition
Malabsorption (cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, cholestatic disease [biliary
obstruction, primary biliary cirrhosis], celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis)
Parenchymal liver disease
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
