CASE CONTROL STUDY SERUM LEVELS OF CALCIUM, POTASSIUM AND URIC ACID IN PREECLAMPTIC PATIENTS AND NORMOTENSIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL ABAKALIKI

Abstract

BACKGROUD: Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and
perinatal morbidity worldwide, especially in developing countries. So far,
the aetiology has remained unresolved. As delivery is still the only
treatment in established disease irrespective of gestational age,
preeclampsia is thus implicated as a major cause of iatrogenic prematurity
worldwide.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the variations of serum levels of calcium
potassium and uric acid among normotensive and preeclamptic patients.
This could facilitate the early detection of those at risk for preeclampsia
and help in determining those who are more likely to benefit from
interventional measures.
STUDY DESIGN: Hospital based prospective case control cross sectional
study.
STUDY AREA: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Federal
Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, and Mile 4 Hospital, Abakaliki , Ebonyi State,
Nigeria.
METHODOLOGY: The study will be undertaken in the department of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki and the
obstetrics unit of Mile 4 hospital, Abakaliki in Ebonyi State. The Federal
Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, is a tertiary health institution that serves as a
major referral centre for the state and her neighbours. Mile 4 hospital is a
specialist hospital with three consultants in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
which performs similar function in obstetrics cases as the Teaching
Hospital. Also the hospital is an outreach peripheral hospital of the Federal
Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki where senior registrars and registrars in the
department undergo three monthly rural postings for experience
supervised by these consultant obstetricians.
The pregnant women with raised blood pressure and significant proteinuria
who meet the inclusion criteria within 20 weeks to 40 weeks gestation will
be recruited as they attend ante-natal clinic. Each of these patients will be
matched with normotensive non-proteinuric pregnant women for age group
and parity. Socio- demographic variables and clinical characteristics such as
age, parity, gestational age at presentation blood pressure, degree of
proteinuria, levels of maternal serum calcium, potassium and uric acid will
be recorded.

CASE CONTROL STUDY SERUM LEVELS OF CALCIUM, POTASSIUM AND URIC ACID IN PREECLAMPTIC PATIENTS AND NORMOTENSIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL ABAKALIKI