Pulmonary edema in severe preeclampsia-eclampsia: analysis of thirty-seven consecutive cases

During approximately a 9-year period, 37 severe preeclamptic-eclamptic patients had pulmonary edema for an incidence of 2.9%. The incidence was significantly higher in older patients (p less than 0.0001) and in multigravid patients (p less than 0.05). Eleven (30%) had antepartum edema with 10 (90%) of the 11 having preexisting chronic hypertension. Twenty-six (70%) had postpartum edema with an average onset of 71 hours post partum. The majority of these patients had excessive colloid and crystalloid infusions for various medical, surgical, and obstetric complications. There were four maternal deaths and morbidity was significant. Eighteen patients had disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, 17 had sepsis, 12 had abruptio placentae, 10 had acute renal failure, six had hypertensive crisis, five had cardiopulmonary arrest, two had rupture of the liver, and two had ischemic cerebral damage. The overall perinatal mortality was 530/1000 and neonatal morbidity was significant. Pulmonary edema is infrequent in severe preeclampsia-eclampsia without associated medical, surgical and obstetric complications. The occurrence of pulmonary edema in such patients is associated with high maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.