Characterization of patients with HELLP syndrome

Abstract

Introduction: HELLP syndrome is a complication of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Objective: To identify the characteristics of patients who suffer it.
Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out in Hospital Osio de Cua, Urdaneta municipality, state of Miranda in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela since the creation of the intensive care unit in the period of September 2010 through June 2012. The sample was made up of 35 patients who were admitted to the unit with diagnosis of HELLP syndrome or were so diagnosed during their stay at hospital. The primary data source was the medical history and the intensive care unit records.
Results: The predominant factors were found to be maternal age of 20 to 29 years (57.14%) and gestational age of 28 to 34 weeks (42.87%) at the time of pregnancy cessation. The most frequent causes of admission were epigastralgia and high blood pressure figures. According to the platelet count (48.58%), the most common type was HELLP II; 80% of patients showed hemoglobin values lower than 100g/l and 88.58% had high transaminase levels whereas 82.85% of the renal profile values were over the normal figures. During pregnancy, the disease affected 75% of studied females.
Conclusions: HELLP syndrome is a pathological process that may occur in pregnancy or in puerperium.