Severity of preeclampsia and maternal serum lactate dehydrogenase: Is there a link?

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia (PET) is one of the most common medical conditions complicating pregnancy and an important cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Predicting the severity of this disease is crucial for good management outcome. Serum lactate dehydrogenase is a marker of tissue damage and preeclampsia is associated with significant tissue damage.

Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study involving 55 preeclamptic women aged 18-40 years with gestational age >20 weeks and 55 normotensive pregnant women matched for age, gestational age and parity recruited from the Antenatal clinic of Jos University Teaching Hospital. Socio-demographic, biophysical and obstetric data were obtained. Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels were assayed and both groups were followed up till delivery and their pregnancy outcome noted. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22.0, P<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean serum LDH level of the study group (355±364IU/L) was significantly higherthan the control group (136±50IU/L), P <0.001. The mean serum LDH level among preeclamptics with complications was significantly higher (880±12.6IU/L) compared to preeclamptics without complication (266.2±151.2IU/L), P <0.001.

Conclusion: Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase is a good marker of preeclampsia and higher levels of Lactate Dehydrogenase among preeclamptic patients could be a predictor of possible complications.