[Eclampsia in Central America].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidence, characteristic and maternal outcome of eclampsia in some countries of Central America.

METHOD: We reviewed all patients with the diagnosis of eclampsia at the Complejo Hospitalario "AAM" de la Caja de Seguro Social de Panamá, Hospital Santo Tomás de Panamá, Hospital Bertha Calderón, Managua, Nicaragua and Hospital Pritnero de Mayo, JSSS, San Salvador, EI Salvador from January 1998 through December 1998. Incidence, demographics characteristics, complications, cardinal signs, deaths and cause of death by hospital were analyzed.

RESULTS

The total number of deliveries during the study period was 48,645. One hundred two women had eclampsia, for an incidence of 1 in 477 deliveries. Blood pressure was elevated beyond 160/110 mmHg in 39 (38%) patients, and 25% had < 140/90 during the seizures. Proteinuria before seizure was negative in 10 patients. Twenty-six patients had HELLP syndrome. There were 7 maternal deaths in the entire cohort of patients (6.8%), cerebral hemorrhage was cause of death in two women, multiple organ failure in two, disseminated intravascular coagulation in two and sepsis in one. In addition, six deaths had HELLP syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

Eclampsia is directly related to young women, nulliparous, pregnancy without or low prenatal care and gestational age near to term. HELLP syndrome is a high-risk factor to death among patients with eclampsia.