Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a rare but life-threatening complication of pregnancy. The aim of this paper is to study the characteristics of acute AKI in pregnancy and to emphasize on its management modalities in Moroccan hospitals. This is a national prospective study performed over six months from July 1 to December 31 2010 on AKI developing in pregnant patients, both preand post-partum period. Patients with pre-existing kidney disease were excluded from the study. Outcome was considered unfavorable when complete recovery of renal function was not achieved and/or maternal death occurred. Forty-four patients were included in this study. They were 29.6 ± 6 years old and mostly illiterate (70.6%). Most AKI occurred in the post-partum period, with 66% of the cases occurring in those who did not receive antenatal care. The main etiologies were pre-eclampsia (28 cases), hemorrhagic shock (six cases) and septic events (five cases). We noted three cases of acute fatty liver, one case of obstructive kidney injury and one case of lupus nephritis. Hemodialysis was necessary in 17 (38.6%) cases. The outcome was favorable in 29 patients. The maternal mortality rate was 11.4%. Two poor prognostic factors were identified: Age over 38 years and sepsis. AKI is a severe complication of pregnancy in developing countries. Its prevention necessitates the improvement of the sanitary infrastructure and the establishment of the obligatory antenatal care.
Wernicke's encephalopathy is caused by severe thiamine deficiency; it is mostly observed in alcoholic patients. We report the case of a 28-year-old woman, at 17 weeks of gestational age, with severe hyperemesis gravidarum. She presented with disturbance of consciousness, nystagmus, ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. The resonance magnetic imagery showed bilaterally symmetrical hyperintensities of thalamus and periaqueductal area. The case was managed with very large doses of thiamine. The diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy was confirmed later by a low thiamine serum level. The patient was discharged home on day 46 with mild ataxia and persistent nystagmus. Wernicke's encephalopathy is a rare complication of hyperemesis gravidarum. It should be diagnosed as early as possible to prevent long-term neurological sequela or death. Thiamine supplementation in pregnant women with prolonged vomiting should be initiated, especially before parenteral dextrose infusion. Early thiamine replacement will reduce maternal morbidity and fetal loss rate.
Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is defined as free air or gas contained within the mediastinum, which almost invariably originates from the alveolar space or the conducting airways. It is rare in pediatric patients; however, occasional cases are reported to result from forced Valsalva’s maneuver due to cough, emesis, a first attack of wheeze, or asthma exacerbations. We report the case of a 7-year-old previously healthy girl, with a history of persistent dry cough one day before, who was brought to our unit with face, neck and chest swelling. The chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan showed subcutaneous emphysema with pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium without evidence of the origin of this air leak. Laboratory tests and the bronchoscopy were normal. The patient was admitted in the pediatric critical care and received noninvasive monitoring, analgesia, oxygen, and omeprazole as a prophylaxis for a gastric ulcer. The patient improved, subcutaneous emphysema resolved, and she was discharged on the third day.
Peganum harmala L. is a plant widely distributed in the Mediterranean region. It is commonly used in traditional medicine in Morocco as sedative and abortifacient but exposes users to the risk of overdose and poisoning. The pharmacologically active compounds of this plant include a number of β-carboline and quinazoline alkaloids responsible of its pharmacological and toxicological effects. We report the case of a 24-year-old woman, 22 weeks pregnant, intoxicated with the seeds of Peganum harmala L. On admission, she had disturbance of consciousness, uterine contraction, and oliguria. Laboratory tests revealed renal failure and liver injury, and she benefited then from hemodialysis. During hospitalization, she was intubated after deterioration of consciousness and presented a spontaneous expulsion of the fetus. After extubation, she kept unusual sequelae: cerebellar ataxia and peripheral polyneuropathy. Physicians in regions using Peganum harmala L. as traditional medicine must be able to detect symptoms of its toxicity, in order to establish early gastrointestinal decontamination. The prognosis of this intoxication is variable; most cases can be managed successfully; but in high doses of intoxication, evolution can be fatal.
Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema also known as Hamman's syndrome is a very rare complication of labor that is often related to the valsalva maneuver during the labor. In most case, Hamman's syndrome is a self-limiting condition, rarely complicated unless there are underlying respiratory diseases. Chest X-ray can be a useful early diagnostic technique in severe clinical presentation. We report an uneventful pregnancy in a primigravid parturient, which was complicated in the late second stage of labor by the development of subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and mild pneumothorax. Spontaneous recovery occurred after four days of conservative management. This condition shows the major interest of labor analgesia especially locoregional techniques.
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