Kidney Research and Clinical Practice  2017;36(1):95-99

doi:10.23876/j.krcp.2017.36.1.95

HELLP syndrome in a pregnant patient with Gitelman syndrome.

Minhyeok LEE 1 ; Dong Il KIM ; Kyung Ho LEE ; Jun Hyun BYUN ; Jiyong HWANG ; Won Min HWANG ; Sung Ro YUN ; Se Hee YOON

Affiliations

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Keywords

Eclampsia; Gitelman syndrome; HELLP syndrome; Pregnancy

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Gitelman syndrome is characterized by hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hypocalciuria, and hypomagnesemia. The clinical course of Gitelman syndrome in pregnant women remains unclear, but it is thought to be benign. We report here the first Korean case of atypical eclampsia in a 31-year-old who was diagnosed with Gitelman syndrome incidentally during an antenatal screening test. The patient did well during pregnancy despite significant hypokalemia. At 33 weeks’ gestation, the patient exhibited eclampsia, hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, and renal insufficiency without significant hypertension or proteinuria. We explain this unusual clinical course through a review of the relevant literature.