Cardiopulmonary morbidity as a complication of severe preeclampsia HELLP syndrome

Pre-eclampsia and Cardiovascular Disease: From Pregnancy to Postpartum

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) complicate approximately 10% of pregnancies. In addition to multiorgan manifestations related to endothelial dysfunction, HDP confers an increased risk of cardiovascular disease during delivery hospitalisation, such as heart failure, pulmonary oedema, acute MI and cerebrovascular events. However, the cardiovascular legacy of HDP extends beyond birth since these women are significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular risk factors in the immediate postnatal period and major cardiovascular disease in the long term. The main mediator of cardiovascular disease in women with a history of HDP is chronic hypertension, followed by obesity, hypercholesterolaemia and diabetes. Therefore, optimising blood pressure levels from the immediate postpartum period until the first months postnatally could have beneficial effects on the development of hypertension and improve long-term cardiovascular health. Peripartum screening based on maternal demographic, and clinical and echocardiographic data could help clinicians identify women with HDP at highest risk of developing postpartum hypertension who would benefit from targeted primary cardiovascular prevention.

Effect of anesthesia choice on hemodynamic stability and fetomaternal outcome of the preeclamptic patient undergoing cesarean section

Background

The main aim of this study is to compare hemodynamic stability and feto-maternal outcome between general and spinal anesthesia in pre-eclampsia patients undergoing C/S.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was used with a calculated sample size of 266. Comparison of numerical variables between study groups was done using unpaired student t-test and Manny Whitney U test for symmetric and asymmetric data respectively. A P-value <0.05 considered significant.

Result

There is a comparable distribution of socio-demographic, obstetric variables, and baseline hemodynamic variables between groups. The change in a hemodynamic variable from baseline and during the first 24 h was also comparable between groups. The numbers of ICU admission were comparable between groups (8.03% vs. 10.41%, p = 0.549) in spinal and general anesthesia groups respectively. With regards to hospital stay patients in general anesthesia groups had longer hospital stay 5.92 days compared to 4.67 days in the spinal anesthesia group, with a statistically significant difference,(p = 0.024). The Spinal anesthesia group showed lower maternal mortality 2.6% compared to 14.8% in the general anesthesia group during the first 48th hour (p = 0.027). At the first 48 h only 7.14% of neonates in the spinal anesthesia group, and 16.6% o in the general anesthesia group had reported dead (p = 0.315).

Conclusion

Spinal anesthesia (SA) was alternative to general anesthesia regarding hemodynamic stability. Regarding maternal outcome, SA overall shows a better maternal outcome during the first 48 h. The numbers of ICU admission were comparable between groups. The SA group showed lower maternal mortality at the 48th hr.

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Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder characterized by new onset of hypertension.

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Anesthetic management of pre-eclampsia patients remains a challenge.

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Spinal anesthesia is alternative to general anesthesia for hemodynamic stability.

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Spinal anesthesia group showed lower maternal mortality at the 48th hour.

Comparing the Effect of Spinal and General Anaesthesia for Pre-Eclamptic Mothers Who Underwent Caesarean Delivery in A Tertiary, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background

Opinions are controversial regarding the use of general and spinal anesthesia in pre-eclamptic mothers undergoing Caesarean section. Some studies recommended avoiding spinal anesthesia in pre-eclamptic patients because of concern for sudden severe hypotension, while other studies support the use of spinal anesthesia as first choice reasoning less post-operative morbidity and mortality. This study aims to compare maternal outcome among pre-eclamptic women undergone caesarian delivery under general and spinal anesthesia.

Methods and Patients

A retrospective comparative cross-sectional study was conducted to compare maternal outcome. All pre-eclamptic mothers who underwent Caesarian section in Black Lion Specialized Hospital from October 2014 to October 2016 were included in the study. Data entry and analysis were conducted using SPSS version 20. Student's T-test was used to compare the outcome in both groups and p value < 0.05 was set as cut off point for statistical significance.

Results

A total of 170 client documents were reviewed. The mean age of the study subjects was 28.18 ± 4.66 years, with median age 28 years (IQR: 25–30). Our study shows that both general and spinal anesthesia have no difference in terms of maternal survival status, days of hospital stay, post-operative admission to ICU, and post-operative complications. However, this study found a statistically significant higher post-operative blood pressure and pulse rate among general anesthesia groups compared with spinal anesthesia group.

Conclusion

Spinal anesthesia is safer than general anesthesia in terms of stable vital signs among pre-eclamptic women undergoing Cesarean section.

Activated protein C as disease-modifying therapy in antenatal preeclampsia: An open-label, single arm safety and efficacy trial

OBJECTIVES

Preeclampsia is characterized by maternal systemic inflammation and coagulation activation, akin to the sepsis syndrome. Recombinant human activated protein C (rhAPC; drotrecogin alfa [activated]) may modify disease progression to safely prolong pregnancies and improve perinatal outcomes. Both maternal and perinatal risks are highest remote from term.

STUDY DESIGN

Open-label, single arm safety and efficacy trial of rhAPC in consenting pregnant women with severe early-onset preeclampsia. Disease severity-matched rhAPC-naïve controls were identified from an existing database. An additional six women were recruited as biomarker controls.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary safety outcome: incidence of peripartum bleeding; primary efficacy outcome: duration of pregnancy after enrolment.

RESULTS

Twelve (31.6%) of 38 eligible women consented; 3 did not receive the infusion due to staffing. Therefore, 9 women received rhAPC (24 μg/kg/hr for ≤96 h antenatally). No safety issues were identified. There was a marginal prolongation in eligibility-to-delivery intervals for women receiving rhAPC (Mantel-Cox p = 0.052; Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon p = 0.049). Compared with both the pre-infusion phase in the rhAPC-treated women themselves and with fullPIERS rhAPC-naïve women, rhAPC was associated with increased urine output during the infusion (6/9 vs 1/9 had urine output >100 mL/h during the infusion, Fisher's exact p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

These data support further investigation of APC in women with severe early-onset preeclampsia; recombinant and purified human APC is available. In addition, these data will inform the design and implementation of randomized controlled trials aiming to modify and/or moderate the proinflammatory and proacoagulant state of preeclampsia.

Relation with postpartum maternal morbidity of different types of anesthesia in preeclamptic patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different anesthesia types administered to patients with preeclampsia on postoperative maternal morbidities.

METHODS

Medical records of pregnant women complicated with preeclampsia delivered by cesarean from January 2010 to December 2016 in our clinic were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

There was not a statistically significant difference between patients receiving spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia in terms of additional parenteral analgesic requirement at postoperative period (p = 0.520). The length of stay in hospital and δHb (preoperative hemoglobin value minus postoperative hemoglobin value) were not different between spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia groups (p = 0.140 and 0.648, respectively). The rate of postoperative antihypertensive medication requirement was statistically significant in patients with severe preeclampsia who underwent general anesthesia (p = 0.009, x² = 6.867, odds ratios = 4.276 (1.531-11.942)). The time passing to reach the first normal blood pressure level in patients with severe preeclampsia was 11.95 ± 9.11 h in patients with spinal anesthesia, 10.55 ± 4.95 h in patients with general anesthesia, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.504).

CONCLUSION

The need for antihypertensive medication is greater in patients with severe preeclampsia receiving general anesthesia. There is a need for comprehensive, prospective, and randomized controlled trials to establish the relationship between postpartum morbidity and the different types of anesthesia.

Fetomaternal outcome in severe preeclamptic women undergoing emergency cesarean section under either general or spinal anesthesia

This prospective observational study compared the effects of general and spinal anesthesia in 173 severe preeclamptic women undergoing emergency cesarean section. 146 (84.5%) patients underwent spinal anesthesia (SA) and 27 (15.5%) patients had general anesthesia (GA). Most of the patients were primigravid and nulliparous. Intraoperatively SA group required more intravenous fluid and vasopressor support, while GA group required more preoperative labetalol injection for blood pressure control. Overall 13.3% of patients required critical care, particularly GA group (44.4% versus 7.5%; P < 0.001). Patients receiving GA had a higher mortality (25.9% versus 1.4%; P < 0.001). The length of hospital stay was comparable. Significantly more neonates of patients receiving GA were found to be preterm (77.8% versus 44.5%; P < 0.01) and required advanced resuscitation. GA group also had higher neonatal mortality (29.6% versus 11%; P < 0.05). To conclude, severe preeclamptic mothers receiving general anesthesia and their babies required more critical care support. Maternal as well as neonatal mortality was significantly higher with general anesthesia.

A retrospective study of the outcome of cesarean section for women with severe pre-eclampsia in a third world setting

Objective:

To compare the outcome of subarachnoid block (spinal anesthesia) and general anesthesia in Cesarean delivery for women with severe pre-eclampsia.

Methods:

A retrospective study of women with severe pre-eclampsia requiring Cesarean section from January 2005 to June 2009 was carried out. Maternal age, parity, gestational age at delivery, booking status, Apgar scores, maternal and perinatal mortality of the sub-arachnoid block group were compared with those of general anesthesia group using χ², Student t-test and Fischer exact test.

Results:

There were no significant difference between the two groups in overall maternal mortality (5.4% vs. 11.9%, P=0.5) and perinatal mortality (2.7% vs. 11.9%, P=0.15). The general anesthesia group had significantly more birth asphyxia than the spinal group (55.9% vs. 27.0%, P=0.0006).

Conclusion:

There was no significant difference in the maternal and perinatal mortality outcome of cesarean delivery between women with severe pre-eclampsia who had regional anesthesia and those that had general anesthesia. There was significantly higher proportion of birth asphyxia in babies of women who received general anesthesia.

The origins and end-organ consequence of pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a multisystem disorder with profound implications for both mother and fetus. Its origins lie in the earliest stages of pregnancy. Abnormal interactions between fetal trophoblast and maternal decidua, including the cells of the maternal immune system, lead to inadequate placental invasion and maternal vascular remodelling. However, abnormal placentation is only one step in the cascade of events that ultimately result in maternal organ dysfunction. Pre-existing maternal conditions predisposing to inflammation and vascular pathology, fetal factors, including multiple gestations and macrosomia, and environmental exposures, including infection, may contribute to the release of placental substances, including anti-angiogenic molecules, into the maternal circulation. These may act directly or indirectly upon the endothelia of end organs, including the kidney, liver and brain. The liberation of reactive oxygen species, cytokines, and microthrombi from damaged endothelia contribute further to organ damage. In studying the normal processes that occur during human placentation and early pregnancy, we will develop a greater understanding of what may go awry in pre-eclampsia. Such research will be crucial in discovering novel biomarkers for prediction of the disorder and, eventually, in finding targets for effective interventions.

Cardiopulmonary complications of pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia affects 3 to 8% of all pregnancies. In the USA, pre-eclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, comprising 17% of maternal deaths in advanced gestations in 1999. The pathophysiologic changes associated with pre-eclampsia can have a profound impact on the uteroplacental unit and fetal and neonatal outcome. Equally important are the adverse effects on the maternal hematologic, cardiovascular and pulmonary, neurologic, renal, and gastrointestinal system. This article aims to review complications of pre-eclampsia as they impact on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.

Understanding and managing HELLP syndrome: the integral role of aggressive glucocorticoids for mother and child

Antepartum or postpartum HELLP syndrome constitutes an obstetric emergency that requires expert knowledge and management skills. The insidious and variable nature of disease presentation and progression challenges the clinician and complicates consensus on universally accepted diagnostic and classification criteria. A critical review of published research about this variant form of severe preeclampsia, focused primarily on what is known about the pathogenesis of this disorder as it relates to patient experience with corticosteroids for its management, leads to the conclusion that there is maternal-fetal benefit realized when potent glucocorticoids are aggressively used for its treatment. Although acknowledging the need for definitive multicenter trials to better define the limits of benefit and the presence of any maternal or fetal risk, and given an understanding of the nature of the disorder with its potential to cause considerable maternal morbidity and mortality, we recommend for the present that aggressively used potent glucocorticoids constitute the cornerstone of management for patients considered to have HELLP syndrome.

Maternal haemodynamics in pre-eclampsia compared with normal pregnancy during caesarean delivery

OBJECTIVE

To determine how pre-eclampsia modifies maternal haemodynamics during caesarean delivery.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Tampere University Hospital, Finland.

POPULATION

Ten pre-eclamptic parturients and ten healthy parturients with uncomplicated pregnancies scheduled for elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.

METHODS

Haemodynamic parameters were assessed by whole-body impedance cardiography noninvasively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Stroke index (SI), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded before operation, continuously during caesarean section, during the period of dissipation of anaesthesia and on the second to fifth postpartum day.

RESULTS

Baseline haemodynamics in women with pre-eclampsia differed significantly from healthy women in higher SVRI and MAP and lower SI and CI. In women with pre-eclampsia, preload infusion increased both SI and HR, causing a significant rise in CI, while in healthy parturients, only HR rose. In both the groups, spinal blockade reduced SVRI but CI remained stable. At the moment of delivery, CI increased in both groups. In uncomplicated pregnancies, both SI and HR increased, but in women with pre-eclampsia, SI was not altered and the rise in CI was due to an increase in HR only. After the reversal of anaesthesia, haemodynamics in the control group returned to baseline values, whereas in women with pre-eclampsia, SI and CI fell to levels that were significantly lower than the levels observed before surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In women with pre-eclampsia, inability to increase SI at the moment of delivery may suggest dysfunction of the left ventricle to adapt to volume load caused by delivery and prompts concern for the increased risk of pulmonary oedema.

HELLP syndrome as a cause of unexpected rapid maternal death?A case report and review of the literature

Unexpected rapid death after delivery due to HELLP syndrome (HS) may become the subject of a forensic expertise. Since this syndrome is rarely encountered in forensic pathology, our objective was to point to some specific findings which might present forensic aspects of HS. These include unexpectedness, suddenness and fulminant course of this syndrome, which may confuse physicians, and on the other hand these characteristics cast doubt on violent injury, diagnostic oversights or iatrogenic injuries. Absence of classical signs of preeclampsia and non-specific clinical symptoms cause considerable differential diagnostic problems leading to a diagnostic delay or initial wrong non-obstetric diagnosis. A definitive postmortem diagnosis of HS in questionable cases of maternal death and consecutive forensic expertise of suspected medical malpractice should be based on accepted laboratory criteria and characteristic histopathological alterations.