[Transfer of obstetric patients in a pregnant and postpartum condition to an intensive care unit: eighty-two cases in Burkina Faso].
OBJECTIVE
To review all obstetric admissions to an intensive care unit (ICU) of an African hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of the records of all obstetric patients admitted to the ICU of Souro Sanou Hospital in Burkina Faso, from January 1st, 1996, to June 30, 1998.


RESULTS
Eighty-two patients out of 6119 deliveries were transferred to the ICU, which meant a 1.34% transfer rate. These transfers concerned young patients (mean age of 24 years), coming originally from outlying maternities in 52.4% and having already given birth in 64.63% of the cases. The two main diagnoses at the ICU were: eclampsia and septic shock. The large majority of the patients (73 out of 82) had at least one bad prognosis factor at admission at the ICU. A maternal mortality rate of 60% was noted, the main risk factors for mortality being acute respiratory condition and severe anemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Mortality of obstetric patients admitted to ICUs is very high in our setting. Establishing an ICU within the obstetric unit or early detection of cases to be transferred (scoring system?) should improve the prognosis.
Dao
B
B
Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier national Souro Sanou, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. daoblami@hotmail.com <daoblami@hotmail.com>
Rouamba
A
A
Ouédraogo
D
D
Kambou
T
T
Bazié
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Transfert de patientes en état gravido-puerpéral en réanimation: à propos de 82 cas au Burkina Faso.