PMID: 8963890May 1, 1996Paper

Differential HELLP syndrome diagnosis

Zeitschrift für Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie
A Faridi, W Rath

Abstract

The early detection of HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) is the basic condition for immediate therapeutic management, which mainly leads to prompt delivery. The classical symptoms despite the typical laboratory evaluation (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) are epigastric or right upper quadrant pain and nausea and vomiting; the classical signs of preeclampsia (proteinuria and hypertension) may be absent in 20%. The differential diagnostic problems of HELLP syndrome arise in relation to the mimicry-symptomatic: upper abdomen pain can imitate gastroenterologic diseases (e.g. cholelithiasis, appendicitis), the elevated liver enzymes combined with hyperbilirubinemia liver diseases (e.g. viral hepatitis) and thrombocytopenia in combination with hemolytic anemia, neurological symptoms and renal failure other similar pathogenetic disorders due to the category of thrombotic microangiopathies. Regarding the common symptoms thrombocytopenia, hemolysis as well as signs of preeclampsia with or without renal failure the differentiation from various autoimmune diseases also can be difficult in special cases. Rare first manifestations and serious simultaneous diseases which can overlay the t...Continue Reading

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