Hepatic and splenic haemorrhage as a complication of toxaemia of pregnancy in a patient with circulating lupus anticoagulant.
A 29 year old pregnant woman presented at 28 weeks with severe upper abdominal pain. Features of pre-eclamptic toxaemia became apparent and intrauterine death occurred abruptly. The development of shock, a reduction in haemoglobin from 124 to 88 g/l without evidence of external blood loss and tender hepatosplenomegaly suggested major intrahepatic and intrasplenic haemorrhage. This suggestion was supported by ultrasound and CT scans. The patient made a complete recovery over a period of weeks. She was shown to have a circulating LE-inhibitor and had major thrombotic episodes involving her leg veins.
D000328:Adult; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006529:Hepatomegaly; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013163:Splenomegaly; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; C019158:circulating anticoagulants