Vital signs fail to correlate with hemoperitoneum from ruptured ectopic pregnancy

The objective was to determine correlation between vital signs and hemoperi toneum in ruptured ectopic pregnancy. A retrospective chart review of ectop ic pregnancies at our urban county hospital between 1990 and 1998 was condu cted. Fifty-one cases met inclusion criteria. Mean minimum systolic blood p ressure (SBP) 89mmHg (range 40-118), mean maximum heart rate (HR) 101 beats /min (range 62-156). Mean volume of hemoperitoneum 1,050 mL (range 400-2,00 0 mL). Correlation between vital signs and volume of hemoperitoneum was poo r (R-2 = 0.04 for HR, R-2 = 0.1 for SBP). Association of tachycardia with h ypotension was also poor (R-2 = 0.1). Extreme individual variations were ob served. If surgical decisions were made on the basis of hypotension, 38% of patients could have received either inappropriate additional studies or su rgical approach. Patients with normal vital signs had a 20% chance of havin g class IV blood loss at surgery. HR and blood pressure do not correlate we ll with volumes of hemoperitoneum from ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Copyrigh t (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.