Usha Yadav , Shaila Mehmood , Rita Ranjan , Poonam Laul ,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (12-2024)
Abstract
Background: Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels have been proposed as a marker of disease severity. This study investigates the association between LDH levels and maternal and fetal outcomes in preeclampsia.
Methods: This prospective study included 150 pregnant women beyond 28 weeks of gestation diagnosed with preeclampsia. Exclusion criteria included pre-existing conditions, multiple pregnancies, and substance use. Participants were stratified into mild (n = 100) and severe preeclampsia groups (n = 50) and further categorized by LDH levels: Group 1 (< 600 IU/L), Group 2 (600–800 IU/L), and Group 3 (> 800 IU/L). Clinical, laboratory, and fetal outcomes were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.0, with a p-value <0.05 considered significant.
Results: Elevated LDH levels were significantly associated with severe preeclampsia (mean LDH: 966.0 ± 11.1 IU in severe vs. 567.6 ± 208.6 IU in mild cases; p< 0.001). Maternal complications, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (1.3%), eclampsia (2.7%), HELLP syndrome (2.0%), and acute renal failure (3.3%), were most frequent in group 3. Adverse fetal outcomes were more common in higher LDH groups, including low APGAR scores, low birth weight (≤ 2.5 kg in 28.7%), and increased neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions (17.3% in Group 3).
Conclusion: Serum LDH levels correlate with preeclampsia severity and maternal-fetal complications. LDH> 800 IU serves as a valuable biomarker for predicting adverse outcomes, emphasizing its role in guiding clinical management. Further multicenter studies are warranted to validate these findings and improve care for preeclampsia patients.
