Maternal and Perinatal Outcome of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) in Patients with Eclampsia at Tertiary Health Care Centre.

INTRODUCTION

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and the related term reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) denote a constellation of clinical symptoms paired with key radiological findings. Eclampsia associated with PRES is a rare condition and remains a challenging diagnosis to make. There are only a few studies regarding PRES syndrome with a limited sample size. Our institution is a tertiary referral centre; hence, a good sample size of patients with eclampsia complicated with PRES syndrome is seen in our study. The objective was to identify the maternal and neonatal outcomes in PRES with eclampsia.

METHODS

This study is a prospective observational study done in Government Medical College, Aurangabad, India from October 2018 to September 2020. In the present study, we have enrolled 63 cases, who satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria during two years. All women admitted in the labour room of tertiary health care centre diagnosed with eclampsia with neurological symptoms during the study period were studied. Relevant data were obtained from the case file and compiled by common proforma. Analysis was done by SPSS (Statistical package for social sciences) Version 25th.

RESULTS

In patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PRES with eclampsia(n = 63), the mean age of the patient was 20.74 ± 2.04 years, 23 (36.5%) patients had headache as premonitory symptoms, whereas 13(20.6%)patients had visual disturbances as the premonitory symptom. The mean gestational age at presentation was 34.4 ± 2 weeks. 40(63.5%) patients were showing parieto-occipital region changes, and 24(38.1%) subjects were showing only occipital region involvement in CT brain. 12 (19.04%) subjects were diagnosed with HELLP syndrome as a maternal complication, 07 (11.1%) subjects had Abruptio placentae. 26(41.3%) babies needed NICU admission, and 4 (6.3%) babies had neonatal death.

CONCLUSION

In pregnant patients presenting with seizure and neurological symptoms, a possibility of PRES should be considered. Proper diagnosis requires careful attention to clinical and radiographic presentation. In eclampsia with PRES patients, a timely intervention with anti-hypertensive, anti-cerebral oedema measures as well as management of other associated symptoms are required.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13224-021-01585-9.