A randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of 12-hour magnesium sulphate therapy compared to 24-hour regimen on maternal outcome among patients with eclampsia admitted in a tertiary care centre

Background: Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) is the most popular anti-convulsant drug for treatment of eclampsia. Pritchard regimen is the most widely used regime worldwide where maintenance dose of MgSO4 is administered for 24-hour after delivery or last fit (whichever is later). As the duration of MgSO4 therapy increases, the incidence of adverse effects also increases. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to compare the maternal outcome with decreased duration of MgSO4 therapy for 12-hour with that of 24 hours for patients with eclampsia. Methods: It was an experimental study which was performed as a single centered, open labelled hospital based randomized control trial. It was conducted for 2 years (December 2019 to November 2021) among the patients of eclampsia admitted at department of obstetrics and gynaecology, AGMC and GBPH. Results: No cases of recurrent seizures in either group with additional benefit of lesser adverse effect of toxicity of MgSO4 in the 12-hour group. Conclusions: In the present study, it has been seen that 12-hour MgSO4 maintenance therapy is as efficacious as standard 24 hours therapy in controlling seizure as there was no case of recurrent seizure in either group.