[HELLP syndrome: review and report of a case].

Purpose: to review the literature for a serious disease and present a case in order to caution specialists concerning the need for early and accurate diagnosis. TYPE: literature review and retrospective study of a case.

Place: Hospital of Specialized Clinics of Franco da Rocha, of the Jundiaí School of Medicine.

Patients: one patient admitted to the School Hospital.

Results: review and clinical observation.

Conclusions: the authors conclude that publication of this case is important because despite the typical features, attending physicians had difficulties in terms of diagnosis and treatment. They describe symptoms which are characteristic of HS associated to preeclampsia and eclampsia, and they caution to the importance of patient complaints of epigastric and right hypochondrium pain. They also alert to the importance of a correct approach (clinical, US scanning, and laboratory tests) for diagnosis and early treatment.