EVIDENCE OF ELEVATED C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (CRP) IN HELLP-SYNDROME

Purpose: Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes combined with a low platele t count are known as an atypical form of preeclampsia and commonly ref ered to as HELLP Syndrome. The laboratory trias is characteristic in m ost cases, but the diagnosis may be difficult in patients without thes e typical laboratory findings. Material and Method: In our retrospecti ve study on 46 women with a HELLP-syndrome, serum concentrations of th e C-reactive protein (CRP) were analysed. Only CRP-concentrations meas ured immediately before delivery were evaluated. Both patients with an tepartum and postpartum laboratory evidence of HELLP-syndrome were inc luded. Results: In 30 of 46 women (65%) with laboratory evidence of HE LLP-syndrome the CRP-concentrations were above 12 mg/l, presenting the upperlimit of the normal range during pregnancy. The median value was 23 mg/l, with 98 mg/l being the maximum value measured in one patient . Increasing serum concentrations of CRP were correlated with low plat elet counts (p = 0.02). There was no correlation between the CRP level s and the enzyme activities of AST and LDH. There was also no signific ant correlation between the conventional parameters platelet count and AST levels, demonstrating the heterogeneity of laboratory findings in HELLP-syndrome. Conclusion: Thus, elevated CRP-levels may supplement the diagnostic parameters in cases of suspected HELLP-syndrome. On the other hand, abnormal concentrations of CRP do not point to an infecti ous disease in patients with a HELLP-syndrome.