Postpartum corticosteroids in HELLP syndrome - standard to prompt recovery

Effectiveness of high-dose glucocorticoids on hemolysis, elevating liver enzymes, and reducing platelets syndrome

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of high-dose glucocorticoids on hemolysis, elevating liver enzymes, and reducing platelets (HELLP) syndrome.

Methods

A total of 151 patients with HELLP syndrome were analyzed and divided into two groups. Six subgroups of treatment and control groups were divided into three grades in accordance with the American Mississippi Diagnostic Criteria.

Results

There were no differences in general characteristics of the patients, primipara rate, minimum platelet recovery time, postpartum hemorrhage volume, postpartum hemorrhage rate, cumulative average of maternal damage, intensive care unit admission rate, perinatal mortality rate, and overall incidence rate of adverse outcomes in fetuses among the groups. The primipara rate in the control group of the third grade was significantly higher than that in the treatment group of the third grade. The treatment group of the second grade (88.7%) had a significantly higher preterm delivery rate than that in the control group of the second grade (66.7%). There were no differences in minimum hemoglobin, and maximum lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels among the groups and subgroups.

Conclusion

High-dose glucocorticoids cannot significantly improve maternal and fetal prognoses and laboratory indices. However, our results might offer some clinical evidence for HELLP syndrome therapy.