[Maternal complications and HELLP syndrome]

HELLP syndrome is associated with more serious cases of preeclampsia-eclampsia with a high frequency of maternal complications.

To report the prevalence and type of maternal complications in patients with HELLP syndrome and to compare these with the recent literature.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with HELLP syndrome treated between July 1, 2009 and July 31, 2010 in the intensive care unit. Maternal complications were registered in the clinical files. Statistical descriptive measures (averages, median, and standard deviations) and T Student test were used for statistical analysis.

Of a total of 297 patients with P-E, 11.44% (34 cases) corresponded to HELLP syndrome. Prevalence of patients with HELLP syndrome and maternal complications was 35.29% (12 cases) as follows: class I: 16.66% (2 cases), class II: 16.66% (2 cases), class III: 66.68% (8 cases). Average age of patients was 30 +/- 6.91 years and gestational age was 32.25 +/- 3.64 weeks. Cesarean section was carried out in 91.67% patients (11 cases). Maternal complications included the following: ascites, 21.06%; oligohydramnios, 21.066%; abruptio placentae, 10.53%; multiple organ failure, 10.53%; nosocomial pneumonia, 5.26%; sepsis, 5.26%; acute renal insufficiency, 5.26%; uterine atony, 5.26%; polyhydramnios, 5.26%; eclampsia, 2.94%; placentae senescence 5.26%. There were no maternal deaths.

Frequency of maternal complications was low. Types and distribution were different in relation to those reported in the international literature.