[Magnesium sulphate and severe preeclampsia: its use in current practice].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate indications, mode of administration and safety of magnesium sulphate in severe preeclampsia.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective descriptive study from January 2000 to December 2002, including patients with severe preeclampsia which was defined as elevated blood pressure >or=140 and/or 90 mmHg with proteinuria >or=0.3g per day, associated with one or more of the following: elevated blood pressure >or=170 and/or 110 mmHg, proteinuria>3g per day, functional symptoms such as headache, hyperreflexia, oliguria<500 ml per day, thrombocytopenia, creatinine level>100 micromol/l, HELLP syndrome. We studied a group of 57 women treated by magnesium sulphate (intravenous bolus of 4.5g during 20 minutes followed by a perfusion of 1.5g/h) associated or not with an antihypertensive treatment.


RESULTS
Treatment by magnesium sulphate was started antenatally in 53 women or during immediate postpartum in 4, associated (n=25) or not (n=32) with an antihypertensive treatment. Hyperreflexia was the main indication to start magnesium sulphate treatment (75%). About half (47%) of the cases occurred before 33 weeks of gestation No eclampsia occurred in this group. There was one overdosage which regressed when perfusion was stopped. One patient presented minor side effects attributed to magnesium sulphate.


CONCLUSIONS
Providing a rigorous protocol, indications of magnesium sulfate therapy in severe preeclampsia are well defined. It seems that this treatment could be easily used without severe complications and major side effects.
Girard
B
B
Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU de Caen, avenue Clémenceau, 14033 Caen Cedex.
Beucher
G
G
Muris
C
C
Simonet
T
T
Dreyfus
M
M
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D008278:Magnesium Sulfate