Standardized Mississippi Protocol treatment of 190 patients with HELLP syndrome: slowing disease progression and preventing new major maternal morbidity.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Mississippi Protocol (MP) to treat HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome.

METHODS

Uniform early initiation of MP (corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate, systolic blood pressure control) was studied prospectively in patients admitted with severe preeclampsia/class 1 or class 2 HELLP syndrome.

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety patients between 2000 and 2007 received MP without suffering maternal death, stroke, or liver rupture. Only 39 of 163 patients (24%) not class 1 when MP began progressed to class 1 disease; only 18.2% of class 1 and 2.4% of class 2 subsequently developed major maternal morbidity.

CONCLUSION

Early initiation of MP inhibits HELLP syndrome disease progression and severity.