HELLP syndrome. Women with partial HELLP syndrome (PHS) should be studied and managed separately from women with HELLP syndrome or severe preeclampsia. The incidence of HELLP syndrome

Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count are alterations in laboratory tests that are found in pregnant or post-delivery women who have preeclampsia. The term HELLP syndrome was coined for this set of alterations by Weinstein in 1982. Since then many reports have been presented, but the quantification of laboratory tests has differed among them. Since Sibai proposed strict criteria for the diagnosis of the “true HELLP syndrome” it has been observed that many women with severe preeclampsia may have laboratory abnormalities such as isolated hemolysis or low platelet count or elevated liver enzymes, without the complete HELLP syndrome. Women with partial HELLP syndrome (PHS) should be studied and managed separately from women with HELLP syndrome or severe preeclampsia. The incidence of HELLP syndrome is 2 to 12%, while the incidence of PHS is unclear, but probably around 21 to 24%. There is no information about PHS incidence in Brazil. HELLP syndrome may begin as PHS, because it is an insidious and progressive disease. This characteristic is corroborated by the different elapsed times seen in laboratory tests for its alterations and the progress of the disease. Another factor that supports this idea is that in spite of delivery being the definitive treatment for women with HELLP syndrome, the condition of some women worsens over the first 48 hours after delivery. The purpose of this report was to compare maternal and perinatal outcomes between women with PHS and women who had severe blood pressure elevation but normal laboratory tests for HELLP syndrome.