POOR PREDICTIVE VALUE OF PLATELET COUNT, MEAN PLATELET VOLUME AND SERUM URATE IN HYPERTENSION IN PREGNANCY

Objective: To determine the usefulness of platelet count, mean platele t volume and serum uric acid levels in the prediction of preeclampsia in women with mild hypertension in pregnancy, and to see if it is appr opriate to base the management of such patients on these tests. Subjec ts: Three hundred and thirty-six women attending the antenatal day uni t with a diagnosis of non-proteinuric hypertension in pregnancy (diast olic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg on two separate r ecordings) from whom at least one blood sample was taken. Main outcome s measured: The development of proteinuria (1 + or greater on urine Al bustix); the need for oral antihypertensive medication, the need for t he 'pre-eclampsia regime' intra- or post-partum; the need for inductio n of labour because of hypertension. Results: No test, at any cut-off level, was found to be of any use in predicting the outcomes studied. Nor was a weekly change in any of the tests found to be of any use. Co nclusion: Basing the management of patients with mild non-proteinuric hypertension on the results of platelet count, mean platelet volume or urate level is unwise as none of these tests was able to predict outc ome in such patients.