Publication:

Study on HELLP syndrome - maternal and perinatal outcome

Background HELLP Syndrome is a serious obstetric complication in pregnancy characterised by haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. Incidence is 0.5-0.9% of all pregnancies and in 10-20% of cases with severe preeclampsia and eclampsia. The aim of the study was to study the incidence, different clinical presentations and diagnosis of HELLP syndrome in Pre eclampsia and Eclampsia and to analyze the severity, complications, maternal and perinatal outcome.

Methods It is a 16 months period retrospective study of 102 cases of preeclampsia and eclampsia admitted in NRIMC and GH in OBGY Department with more than 28 weeks gestation. Of these, 91 cases had preeclampsia and 11 cases had eclampsia. Out of these, 15 cases developed HELLP Syndrome. The available history, clinical data, detailed laboratory investigations were studied and categorized by Mississippi classification for better analysis of complications and outcome in HELLP syndrome.

Results Of 91 cases of Preeclampsia, 12 cases (13.18%) developed HELLP syndrome and out of 11 cases of Eclampsia, 3 cases (27.27%) had HELLP Syndrome. Majority of the cases belonged to 21-25years age group and were mostly from lower Socio economic status. The present study showed 60% maternal morbidity and 6.6% maternal mortality and the perinatal morbidity and mortality was 46.6% each.

Conclusions HELLP Syndrome is a severe variant and a dreadful complication of Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, it needs early diagnosis and timely intervention in the form of termination of pregnancy to arrest further progress of pathophysiology leading to complications.