Abstract

SANCHEZ PADRON, Alfredo; SANCHEZ VALDIVIA, Alfredo  and  FERNANDEZ MORIN, José. Acute respsiratory distress and pregnancy: Some interesting aspects. Rev Cubana Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2006, vol.32, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3062.

Clinical, epidemiological and therapeutic characterization of some aspects of the respiratory distress, and of the critically-ill pregnant woman admitted to an ICU, as well as a literature review that compares this situation with that reported by the international literature were made through an observational cross-sectional study of pregnant women suffering respiratory distress and admitted to the intensive care units of two teaching hospitals for 10 years. Several variables and the most suitable statistical analysis were applied. Demographic variables did not really yield significant data. The most interesting ventilatory variables were positive-end expiratory pressure and oxygen pressure/inspired oxygen fraction. Ventilation applied for less than 12 hours, or ventilation administered from 3 to 21 days were statistically significant. The most frequent causes of admission were sepsis, hypertensive disease and hemorrhage. Association of hypertensive disease and distress led to higher risk of dying. The respiratory distress occurred mainly in the antepartum period (73,6 %). The patients who developed the syndrome had at least one risk factor whereas those who deceased were affected by two or more risk factors. The dead women showed failure of 2 or more ograns, those who had 3 or more organ failures faced a higher risk of dying too and the most lethal combination was respiratory distress plus cardiovascular failure. It was concluded that early detection of risk factors together with non-extended ventilation according to the condition of the patient will assure less possibilities for organ failure with reduced lethality.

Keywords : Critically-ill mother; Maternal mortality; Respiratory distress syndrome.