ASSOCIATION OF LDH LEVEL WITH PERINATAL OUTCOME AMONG WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION, PREECLAMPSIA AND ECLAMPSIA - A TERTIARY HOSPITAL BASED CASE CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia are significant contributors to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an intracellular enzyme that increases in response to cellular damage and stress, and its elevated levels are associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. This study aims to evaluate the association of serum LDH levels with perinatal outcomes among women diagnosed with gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia.

Materials and Methods: This prospective case control study, conducted over a period of 1 year at TEZPUR MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, included 130 pregnant women categorized into two groups: 62 with normal pregnancies and 68 patients with PIH.

Results: Elevated LDH levels were significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in all three groups. Women with eclampsia had the highest mean LDH levels, followed by those with preeclampsia and gestational hypertension. High LDH levels correlated with an increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, IUGR, and higher rates of NICU admission. The association between elevated LDH levels and poor perinatal outcomes was more pronounced in the preeclampsia and eclampsia groups compared to the gestational hypertension group.

Conclusion: This study suggests that elevated serum LDH levels in pregnant women with gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia are significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. LDH can serve as a useful biochemical marker for predicting perinatal complications in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, allowing for timely intervention and improved maternal and fetal prognosis.