O67. The cranial imaging in severe preeclampsia

Introduction Preeclampsia occurs in 5–6% of all pregnancies, some of the most serious complications of preeclampsia involve neurologic symptoms and include uncontrolled vomiting, severe and persistent headache, visual disturbances, unexplained seizure (eclampsia), coma and death. The mechanism of eclampsia is still controversial. Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyse the cranial imaging in severe preeclampsia, and to find the value of cranial imaging in severe preeclampsia. Methods Thirty six patients with a clinical diagnosis of severe preeclampsia were retrospectively selected, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography were evaluated at hospital. Compared the patients with abnormal imaging findings and without abnormal imaging findings. Results Abnormal cranial imaging was in 20 (55.55%) patients. Brain edema was found in 13 patients, focal chronic ischemia was found in six patients and cerebral hemorrhage was found in one patient. 24 patients with headache, 9 patients with dizzy, 9 patients with visual disturbance, 5 patients with vomiting, 4 patients with stomachache. In patients with abnormal imaging findings, systolic pressure, uric acid were significantly higher than those without abnormal imaging findings ( p  = 0.043, p  = 0.026, respectively). Although patients with abnormal imaging findings showed higher diastolic pressure as compared to those without imaging findings, there was no statistically significant difference ( p  = 0.092). Conclusion The abnormal cranial imaging can be found in severe preeclampsia without convulsion. If the patients had some neural symptoms, the cranial imaging should be taken. The higher blood pressure and uric acid may be related with the cerebral lesions.