Unit of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital from January. 1998 to December ...... Gilbert WM, Danielsen B. Amniotic fluid embolism: decreased mortality ...
O R I G I N A L A R T I C L E
Natalie YW Leung Arthur CW Lau Kenny KC Chan WW Yan
梁玉華 劉俊穎 陳勁松 殷榮華
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: a 10-year retrospective review
Objective To review the characteristics and health-related quality-of-life outcomes of obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Design Retrospective cohort study.
Setting A regional hospital in Hong Kong.
Patients Consecutive obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital from January 1998 to December 2007.
Results Fifty obstetric patients (mean [standard deviation] age, 31 [6] years; mean gestational age, 34 [9] weeks) were analysed. The most common obstetric cause of admission was postpartum haemorrhage (n=19, 38%), followed by pregnancy-associated hypertension (n=7, 14%). The commonest non-obstetric cause of admission was sepsis (n=7, 14%). The commonest intervention was arterial line insertion (n=33, 66%) and mechanical ventilation (n=29, 58%). Maternal mortality was 6% (n=3), while the perinatal mortality rate was 8% (n=4). The average Short Form–36 Health Survey scores of our patients were lower than the norm for the Hong Kong population of the same age and gender.
Conclusion Postpartum haemorrhage and pregnancy-associated hypertension were the most common causes of admission to our Intensive Care Unit. Overall mortality was low. Long-term health-related quality of life in discharged patients was lower than the norm of the Hong Kong population. Appropriate antenatal care is important in preventing obstetric complications. Continued psychosocial follow-up of discharged patients has to be implemented.
Introduction Critically ill obstetric patients are a challenge to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) physicians. Not only are these patients young and usually otherwise healthy, but maternal mortality and morbidity are also important quality-assurance indicators.1 In Hong Kong, as in other developed countries, obstetric patients only account for a small proportion (140/90 mm Hg or blood pressure increases of 30 mm Hg systolic or 15 mm Hg diastolic, and proteinuria >0.3 g complicated by one or more of the following: Hypertension >160/110 mm Hg Proteinuria >2 g/24 h or +++ on dipstix Oliguria
