[Morbidity and mortality of patients with preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome transferred in intensive care].

CONTEXT: During pregnancy, the two leading causes of admission in intensive care are preeclampsia and obstetric haemorrhage. However, there are few studies about preeclamptic patients admitted in intensive care. Our purpose was to determine the outcome of pregnancies with preeclampsia and/or HELLP syndrome admitted in intensive care.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective study between March 1996 and April 2005 in a level III maternity. 533 patients were managed with preeclampsia and/or HELLP syndrome during this period. We compared patients admitted in intensive care with patients who did not require admission in intensive care.

RESULTS: Sixty six patients (12,4%) with preeclampsia and/or HELLP were admitted in intensive care. Severe HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, neurological troubles and acute pulmonary oedema were the four leading causes of admission. The mean duration of admission was 3, 2+/-2,9 days. Mean age of the patients (28, 2+/-5,8 vs. 29,0+/-5,8 years, NS) and number of primiparous (71, 2% vs 66,6%, NS) were similar between the two groups. The mean gestational age of delivery was reduced when patients were needed admission in intensive care (29,8+/-3,9 weeks of gestation versus 32,5+/-4,4, p<0,001). 77, 3% of babies survived in the intensive care group compared with 90,4% in the other group (p<0,01).

CONCLUSION: The short-term outcome of patients admitted in intensive care for preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome is generally good. However, neonatal morbidity and mortality remained important when women needed management in intensive care.