Kidney Disease

If Eclampsia is undiagnosed can it cause Kidney failure or Kidney disease?

[Jigisha S. Amin, MD]

Without an review of history, physical exam and lab results, I can’t give you an exact diagnosis or treatment plan.

Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed in a pregnant woman by fulfilling two criteria:
high BP (2 separate readings taken at least 4 hours apart of 140/90 or more)
AND
proteinuria (300 mg of protein in a 24-hour urine sample).

Among other things, blood pressure and urine protein are checked at prenatal visits.  It is important to go to every scheduled prenatal care visit to screen for pre-eclampsia and other conditions that may occur in pregnant women.

Typically patients show signs of pre-eclampsia (hypertension and proteinuria) prior to the onset of seizures, the hallmark of eclampsia.

Proteinuria is a sign of kidney injury, so if the kidneys continue to have progressive damage for whatever other reasons, it may lead to renal failure, although it typically doesn’t happen.

[rj2]

Eclampsia is difficult not to be diagnosed since eclamptic patients are seizing and have liver failure with all its associated symptoms.  Regardless, it can cause acute renal failure albeit not commonly.    The pathophysiology is not yet known exactly but it is theorized it has something to do with vasoconstriction and DIC.