Magnesium sulfate is the drug of choice in the prophylaxis and treatment of eclampsia. The recent understanding of the neurological manifestations within the reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy produced by preeclampsia has confirmed mechanisms that had been previously based on animal studies, thus adding value to this old drug. From the MAGPIE study to this day, many questions regarding the use of magnesium sulfate in preeclampsia remain ulsolved, but its value as a first-line treatment for brain manifestations in preeclampsia is undoubtedly high.

The “premonitory symptoms” of eclampsia can be interpreted as actual symptoms of cerebral involvement within the posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome, and eclampsia as a severe symptom of the same syndrome. Objective: To review the characteristics of women with eclampsia in a national hospital, with emphasis on the associated neurological manifestations. Design: Case series. Institution: Hospital Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrion (HNDAC), Lima, Peru. Patients: Women with eclampsia. Methodology: Study of all patients with eclampsia over a period of 5 years and 6 months. Eclampsia cases that occurred outside the institution or with insufficient data were excluded. Main outcome measures: General characteristics, associated symptoms, complications and laboratory values in eclamptic patients. Results: Thirty-nine cases were reported. The incidence of eclampsia in pregnant women...