Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels in pregnant women with and without preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, affects 10% of pregnancies, causing maternal and fetal complications. It is associated with complications such as elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. LDH is an intracellular enzyme that increases in response to cellular death. Since preeclampsia leads to cellular death, serum LDH levels may reflect the severity of preeclampsia and serve as a guide in patient management. This study aims to estimate serum LDH levels in women with preeclampsia and those without, and compare the levels between the two groups. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at RIMS, Imphal, from February 2021 to September 2022. The study included 100 participants, 50 diagnosed with preeclampsia and 50 non-preeclamptic women attending RIMS hospital. Blood samples were collected from the patient, and serum LDH levels were estimated using a spectrophotometric method. All the data were analyzed using SPSS V21.0. Results: The study revealed that serum LDH levels were significantly higher (P-value < 0.05) in women with preeclampsia (510.10 ± 184.26 IU) compared to pregnant women without preeclampsia (284.38 ± 97.35 IU). Serum LDH levels were positively correlated with an increase in blood pressure. Conclusion: This study showed that serum LDH levels were higher in patients with preeclampsia compared to non-preeclamptic women, and LDH levels were positively correlated with higher blood pressure. Measuring serum LDH levels can help diagnose preeclampsia, allowing for better monitoring and timely management of affected women.