Comparison of outcomes after typical and atypical eclampsia: a retrospective study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics, clinical features and maternal–perinatal outcomes after atypical eclampsia. Methods: In a retrospective study, we compared demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes between typical and atypical eclampsia. Results: Of 90 eclamptic patients, 56 had typical eclamptic features and 34 had atypical features. Compared to typical eclampsia, atypical eclampsia had higher gestational age (37.6 ± 3.3 vs. 34.6 ± 4.2 weeks, p = 0.001), a higher incidence of no antenatal risk factors [25 (73.5%) vs. 12 (21.4%), p < 0.001], less antepartum seizures [11 (32.4%) vs. 45 (80.4%), p < 0.001], a lower incidence of prodromal symptoms [20 (58.5%) vs. 49 (87.5%), p = 0.002], and a higher incidence of no lesion in brain imaging [16 (47.1%) vs. 12 (21.4%), p = 0.010). Although atypical eclampsia was associated with a lower odd ratio (OR) in composite perinatal complications (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.08–0.60, p = 0.003), composite maternal complications did not differ between the two groups (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.08–0.60, p =0.191). Conclusions: Maternal outcomes did not differ between the two groups. Therefore, more attention should be focused on atypical eclampsia.

Keywords::

• Complication
• hypertension
• postpartum
• proteinuria
• seizure

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Clinical Research Coordinating Center of the Catholic Medical Center for advising for the statistical analysis.

Declaration of Interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.