Abstract

 Introduction: Pre-eclampsia is characterized by a blood pressure of more than or equal to 140/90 mmHg, on at least two consecutive occasions 4 to 6 hours apart and proteinuria, arising after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity, with an estimated incidence of about 8-10% in India. Proteinuria is measured in urine collected over 24-hours and must be 300 mg or more for a conclusive diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. The diagnostic delay of 24 hours may be detrimental for the patient at times.

Aim: This study was done with the aim of comparing the diagnostic accuracy of estimating 6-hour urinary protein excretion against 24-hour in 50 cases of pre-eclampsia.

Results: The overall Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive predictive value, Negative predictive value and Accuracy of the estimation of 6-hour urinary protein excretion was calculated as 89.7%, 81.8%, 94.6%, 69.2% and 88.0% respectively keeping the cut-off at 90 mg when compared to 24-hour urinary protein excretion.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that 6-hour urine protein estimation in pre-eclamptic patients compares well with the 24-hour urine protein, with potential benefits of earlier diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia, decreased cost of management and convenience to the patient.