title: Magnesium sulphate can prolong pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether long-term use of magnesium sulphate prolongs pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study included all singleton pregnancies with severe early-onset preeclampsia, expectantly managed in our institution between 2005 and 2013. Obstetric and perinatal outcomes were compared between patients managed using a current protocol that tolerates long-term (over 48 h) use of magnesium sulphate (long-term group, n = 26) and a historical control group (control group, n = 15) that underwent conventional treatment (up to 48 h use of magnesium sulphate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term group showed significant prolongation of pregnancy compared with the control group (9.2 ± 7.9 versus 16.6 ± 9.3 d, log-rank test, p = 0.021), which was also observed in patients with severe preeclampsia occurring before 28 weeks' gestation (n = 11, 4.5 ± 5.2 versus 13.2 ± 6.8 d, log-rank test, p = 0.035). In contrast to a progressive decrease of platelet count in patients managed without magnesium sulphate, administration of magnesium sulphate for 7 d prevented the decrease of platelet count (p = 0.001). Thirty two percent of patients (13/41) experienced a major complication irrespective of duration of magnesium sulphate use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term use of magnesium sulphate prolonged pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia and can help alleviate progression of preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Haruta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mogami
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chigusa
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D065386:Historically Controlled Study; D006801:Humans; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010976:Platelet Count; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015149:Tocolytic Agents; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate
keywords: Early-onset; expectant management; long-term; magnesium sulphate; severe preeclampsia