[Analysis of maternal morbidity and mortality among patients admitted to Obstetric Intensive Care with severe preeclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP syndrome]

Abstract

Objective: To describe the incidence and clinical and epidemiological profile of patients with severe preeclampsia admitted to Intensive Care.

Design: A prospective, observational case series.

Setting: A specific obstetric 8-bed ICU belonging to a university hospital with a total of 55 ICU beds.

Patients: A total of 262 patients admitted due to severe preeclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP syndrome.

Intervention: Descriptive analysis of the population and complications in the ICU and hospital mortality.

Results: The mean patient age was 30.47±5.7 years, with the following diagnóstico at admission: A total of 78% of the patients with severe preeclampsia, 16% with HELLP syndrome, and 6% with eclampsia, occurring in gestational week 31.85±4.45. In turn, 63% of the patients were nulliparous and had a low prevalence of previous diseases. The global complications rate was 14% (9% heart failure, 5% acute renal failure and 2% coagulopathy). Maternal mortality was 1.5% (4 patients), and was associated with non-nulliparous status, the presence of complications, and toast > 71mg/dl.

Conclusions: Severe preeclampsia has a low mortality rate (1.5%), though the complications rate is considerable (14%). The condition develops more often in nulliparous women during the third trimester of pregnancy.