Factors Predicting Transformation of Non-Severe Pre-Eclampsia into Pre-Eclampsia with Severe Features

Abstract

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE), a complex, multisystem, pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorder, typically developing after the 20th week of gestation, that complicates 2% - 8% of pregnancies, is a leading cause of neonatal and maternal mortality and morbidity. Aim of the Work: To identify different factors predicting transformation of non-severe pre-eclampsia in to pre-eclampsia with severe features. Patients and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at tertiary care hospital at Ain Shams University hospitals from June 2021 till January 2022 and performed on total of 100 patients who diagnosed as non-severe pre-eclampsia after exclusion of severity features. Results: The current study revealed that transformation to severe pre-eclampsia occurred in 33% of the studied cases. Body mass index (BMI), past and family histories of preeclampsia statistically were significantly higher in cases transformed into preeclampsia with severe features. Admission blood pressure, albumin dipstick, Oligohydramnios and IUGR statistically were significantly higher in cases with transformation from non-severe pre-eclampsia into pre-eclampsia with severe features. Platelet count statistically was significantly lower in cases with transformation from non-severe pre-eclampsia into pre-eclampsia with severe features Conclusion: Our study results identified the most important clinical risk factors for transformation to severe features of pre-eclampsia from non-severe features and provided new information on the level of risk associated with specific combinations of risk factors (BMI ≥ 35.4, admission systolic blood pressure, admission diastolic blood pressure, albumin dipstick 4+ and platelets count) with low significant diagnostic performance in predicting transformation from non-severe pre-eclampsia into pre-eclampsia with severe features.