Hyperuricemia as a predictor of severe pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Introduction: preeclampsia is the main cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the world. In Ecuador, health zone 3 includes the provinces of: Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Cotopaxi and Pastaza); It is the one with the highest incidence. Objective: determine if hyperuricemia is a predictive factor of preeclampsia in women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. Method: Study type: Analytical, correlational, retrospective, non-experimental, cross-sectional in women treated at the General Teaching Hospital of Riobamba in the period 2021 to 2023. For the validation of variables, a Chi square test was used where the hypothesis stated was: Hyperuricemia levels are predictors of complications in severe preeclampsia according to their obstetric outcome. Results: a statistical association was demonstrated between hyperuricemia and the development of preeclampsia in women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation with an incidence of (51, 11 %), the average value of hyperuricemia associated with obstetric complications was (6, 5 mg/ dl). The obstetric complications observed were: HELLP syndrome, placental abruption and eclampsia. The ability to predict complications expressed as positive predictive value was (96, 4 %) and the negative predictive value was (90, 7 %). Conclusions: the measurement of uric acid between weeks 24 to 28 of pregnancy allows the introduction of strategies to reduce the ravages of preeclampsia.