Štefan Lukačín, Branislav Murín
Haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome has been recognized as a complication of pregnancy, especially preeclampsia-eclampsia for decades. The presence of this syndrome is associated with increased risk of adverse outcome for both mother and fetus. The high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality that can result from this entity mandates continuing efforts to find an effective treatment or prevention. During the past 15 years, several retrospective, and observational and a few randomized trials have been published in an attempt to refine the diagnostic criteria, to identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcome, and to treat women with this syndrome. Corticosteroids are potent antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, which are used in the treatment of a wide range of medical disorders. During the last decade, administration of corticosteroids was introduced in the treatment of HELLP syndrome, unique to human pregnancy and it´s beneficial effect on biochemical meassures and clinical signs. In spite of this the HELLP syndrome is still a severe lifethreating complicattion of pregnancy and patients shoud be treated in a perinatal centre.