Spectrum of kidney diseases in patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia

The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical spectrum of renal manifestation of preeclampsia in pregnant women.

Diagnosis of preeclampsia was made using two cardinal feature of the disease after 20th weeks of gestation in previously normotensive and nonproteinuric women: (1) Blood pressure > 140/90 mm Hg and (2) urinary protein excretion of > 300 mg/24 hour. The patients with renal manifestations were followed up to 12 weeks postpartum or till death whichever was earlier.

Of 1805 pregnant women, preeclampsia was diagnosed in 106 (5.87%) patients. Primiparity constitutes 53.77% of total patients. Hypertension and proteinuria were observed in all patients. Hyperuricemia was observed in 93.65% of cases. Acute renal failure occurred in 22 patients. Dialysis support was needed in only four cases of ARF with complete recovery of renal function in 82% of cases. HELLP syndrome was seen in 16 (preeclampsia 5; eclampsia 11) patients. Sixty six patients (Death 13 and lost to follow up 27) were followed for 12 weeks. The renal parameters (Hypertension, Proteinuria and renal function) returned to normal in all except in two patients. Renal biopsy in these two cases revealed FSGS and MPGN in one each.

The incidence of preeclampsia was 5.87%. Nephrotic syndrome was observed in 11.32% of patients. Acute renal failure occurred in 20.8% of patients. Hypertension, proteinuria and renal function resolved to normal over a average period of 35.8 days in all survivors. The overall mortality was 12%. Neurological complication, pulmonary edema and multiple organ failure were the causes of death.