Maternal and neonatal consequences in women with severe preeclampsia and patients with HELLP syndrome: a comparative study

Abstract

Background: The (HELLP) syndrome is a severe health hazard in pregnancy described by elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count and hemolysis. It happens in 0.4 to 0.7% of all gestations and in 10-12% of cases with severe preeclampsia. Patients and methods: The present study was a prospective observational study that was made at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kasr Al-Ainy University Hospital, Cairo University, from September 2018 – March 2019. It included One Hundred and Thirty pregnant women diagnosed with hypertension in the current pregnancy complicated with severe preeclampsia, or HELLP Syndrome associated with abdominal ascites, recruited from the attendees of the Obstetric Emergency Department. The study was approved by the local institutional review board of the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. All ladies signed an informed consent. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the HELLP group and the severe preeclamptic group regarding maternal ICU admission and the need of multiple drugs to control the blood pressure being less in severe preeclampsia group. The need for ICU admission was much higher in the HELLP group (43.1%) compared to the severe preeclampsia group (9.2%) showing statistical significance (P<0.001). Conclusion: Maternal and neonatal sicknesses are elevated between cases with HELLP syndrome. So, early diagnosis and definitive treatment can be made to enhance maternal and neonatal results.