Publication:

Efficiency and safety of single dose Magnesium sulphate in eclamptic convulsion

Background An acute and life-threatening complication of pregnancy is characterized by the appearance of tonic clonic seizures, in a patient with pre-eclampsia. Objective of the study was to study the efficacy and safety of a ‘single dose’ of magnesium sulphate in treatment of eclamptic convulsions.

Methods The present prospective study was undertaken among women aged between 18-35 years outpatient’s Department of gynecology in Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hubli, Karnataka, India. The study was undertaken during December 2009 to November 2010.

Results The incidence of eclampsia in our study was 2.12%. Eclapmsia is more common in patients from rural (89%) as compared to urban areas (11%) in our study. In our study eclampsia is more common in unbooked cases (80%). Majority of patients (72%) in our study group were illiterates. 61%, 28% of patients had antepartum and intrapartum eclampsia respectively in our study. We had only 11 post-partum convulsions Table 2. 80% of patients in our study were more than 28 weeks of gestations. 65% of the patients had 5 episodes. In present study 5 Patients had Systolic Blood Pressure less than 140 mmHg. Majority (52) had more than 160 mmHg 42 had in between 140 and 160 mmHg. Diastolic arterial pressure was >110 in 81% of cases. The convulsions were controlled in 75% of women. Recurrence of convulsions occurred in 25% of women after receiving the single dose magnesium sulphate regime. In our study 75% of cases, there was no recurrence of convulsions and in 25% of cases, there was recurrence of convulsions, out of which 20 cases received low dose magnesium sulphate regime and the other 5 cases received Phenytoin regime as 2nd line of treatment.

Conclusions Hence the single dose Magnesium sulphate is safe and effective in controlling convulsions.