Cerebral mr and eeg findings in patient with eclampsia and preeclampsia:clinical corelation

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disease of pregnancy occurring after the second half of pregnancy and it is characterized by hypertension , proteinuria and peripheral edema. The incidence of eclampsia is less than 0.1% and majority of cases had acute and severe cerebro-vasculer complications. The purpose of the study is to evaluate and to found out cerebral MR and EEG findings in patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia . Between May 1998 and January 2000, totally 38 patients (26 patients with preeclampsia, 12 patient with eclampsia, mean age 26.8 ± 9 years) who admitted to Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of our hospital were included in the study. Cranial l\1R and EEG examinations were performed within 3 days after delivery or in stable patients before delivery . The next MR and EEG evaluations were performed one month later in patient who showed MR and EEG abnormalities in the first examinations. For statistical analysis , in comparison of groups with countable parameters , "Ki-kare test" whereas the expected value is below 5 in 2X2 position, Fischer's exaBT" test was used. Results; twenty four of 38 (63%) patients showed neurologic complications. Cranial MR and EEG examinations were abnormal in 16 (42%) and 17 (45%) cases, respectively. Cranial MR findings were consistent with ischemia in 15 patients and hemorrhage in one patient. Two patients showed chronic infarction during follow-up period. MR and EEG abnormalities in 88% of cases were totally resolved. The MR abnormalities in 12 patients (71%) were located in occipital lobes and it was followed by parietal lobes. The EEG abnormalities were consistent with slow wave activities in 16 % of cases, paroxysmal spike wave activities in 16 % of cases and focal slow wave activities in 13 % of patients. The EEG abnormalities were totally disappeared in 13 of 14 (93%) patients in the first month controls. In one patient with cerebral hemorrhage the EEG abnormalities were lasted 6 month duration.