Swansea criteria for acute fatty liver of pregnancy

The Swansea Criteria is a clinical scoring system used for the diagnosis of Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP). This condition is a rare but serious complication of pregnancy, typically occurring in the third trimester or early postpartum period. The Swansea Criteria is used to identify patients who may have AFLP based on a combination of clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings. The criteria include symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, polydipsia, and polyuria, as well as laboratory findings like elevated bilirubin, hypoglycemia, increased transaminases, leukocytosis, and coagulopathy. The presence of hepatic steatosis on ultrasound without other clear cause is also a part of the criteria. The clinical utility of the Swansea Criteria is to aid in the diagnosis of AFLP, which can be challenging due to its rarity and the nonspecific nature of its symptoms. Early recognition and management of AFLP is crucial to prevent maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. There are no specific exclusion criteria for the use of the Swansea Criteria, but it should be noted that it is not definitive; a negative result does not rule out AFLP, and a positive result should be confirmed with further diagnostic testing

Reference

C L Ch'ng, M Morgan, I Hainsworth et al. Prospective study of liver dysfunction in pregnancy in Southwest Wales. Gut. 2002 Dec;51(6):876-80.