Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Serum lactate dehydrogenase is a sensitive marker of hypoxia and cellular
damage/death in pre-eclampsia due to vascular endothelial dysfunction. Besides, evaluation of
serum electrolytes can indicate the severity of pre-eclampsia since it is a vascular endothelial
disorder. However, to the best of our search, in Ethiopia and the study area, there is a paucity of
data regarding the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and electrolytes among pre-eclamptic
patients in comparison with normotensive pregnant women (controls).
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum LDH and electrolyte levels among preeclampsia patients in comparison with their respective controls at UGCSH
Method: Hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 128
study participants from August 1 to November 8, 2021. The data was entered into Epi-data
version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25. About 5 ml of blood sample was taken from each
participants for biochemical test analysis. Serum parameters were analyzed using Beckman
coulter 700AU chemistry analyzer. Descriptive statistical data was presented using texts, tables
or graphs. One-way ANOVA was run to analyze the variations in the mean levels of serum
parameters between controls, pre-eclampsia without and with severe features. Receiver operator
characteristic curve was used to determine the diagnostic value for pre-eclampsia.
Result: Pre-eclamptic women showed a statistically significant elevation of LDH (p<0.001),
significant decrement in serum magnesium (p<0.001), calcium (p<0.001), potassium (p=0.029)
and insignificant reduction of sodium (p=0.754) than that of their controls. There was also a
significant elevation of LDH (p<0.001) but reduction of calcium (p< 0.001) and potassium
(p=0.021) in pre-eclampsia with severe features than pre-eclampsia without severe features.
Serum LDH detected pre-eclampsia with best accuracy (97.5%) (sensitivity 87.5% and
specificity 96.9%) at ?350 U/L. Serum magnesium predicted pre-eclampsia accurately in 69.5%
of participants at 1.505 mg/dl, calcium in 82.3% at ? 8.65 and 8.75 mg/dl and potassium in
61.0% of subjects with cutoff values 3.5 and 3.75 mmol/l.
Conclusion: Serum LDH was significantly increased in the pre-eclamptic group and can be
considered as important biomarker of pre-eclampsia and its severity. There were significantly
decreased levels of serum electrolyte (magnesium, calcium and potassium) in pre-eclampsia and
may act as predisposing factor in pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.
Keywords: 揕actate dehydrogenase�, 揺lectrolytes�, 損re-eclampsia??
