Recurrence risks of hypertensive diseases in pregnancy after HELLP syndrome

AIM: To determine the recurrence risk for hypertensive diseases in pregnancy after HELLP (Hemolysis Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) syndrome in a first pregnancy. METHODS: The study was designed as a cohort study investigating 148 Caucasian primiparae with a diagnosis of HELLP syndrome in a first pregnancy and at least one subsequent pregnancy conducted beyond the 24th gestational week. Diagnoses were verified by reviewing medical records and classified according to ISSHP (International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy) criteria. The recurrence risk of HELLP syndrome or other hypertensive disorders in the subsequent pregnancy was calculated with regard to disease severity in the index pregnancy. RESULTS: Among 148 pregnancies subsequent to HELLP syndrome, 56.1% of the women were normotensive. The recurrence rate was 12.8% for HELLP syndrome, 16.2% for pre-eclampsia, and 14.2% for gestational hypertension only. Women with HELLP syndrome ≤32 gestational weeks tended to show a greater risk of complicated subsequent pregnancies compared to women presenting with HELLP after 32 gestational weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a diagnosis of HELLP syndrome are at a strongly increased risk of recurrent HELLP syndrome, pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension, however, currently no clinical or laboratory parameters allow the prediction of recurrence risk in any individual case.