Postpartum cerebellar infarction and haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet (HELLP) syndrome

Pregnancy is considered to be a hypercoagulable state per se with an increased risk for cerebrovascular events, however cerebellar infarction has been rarely described in pregnant women. A nulliparous pre-eclamptic woman at 25 weeks' gestation was submitted to an echocardiographic exam that showed an impaired cardiac structure and function. After 2 h, the patient underwent caesarean section for diagnosis of haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet (HELLP) syndrome. Afterwards her platelet count raised, and eight days later she developed nystagmus, ataxia, dysmetria and motor deficit in the right limbs and sensory impairment in the right side of the face and in the left limbs. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a right cerebellar and median posterior bulbar infarction. Colour-coded sonography of cerebral vessels showed an occlusion of the right vertebral artery. Coagulation pattern analysis evidenced double heterozygosis of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and single mutation of the prothrombin gene. This case report gives evidence of the importance of considering the different risk factors involved in stroke occurrence during pregnancy. © Springer-Verlag Italia 2005.