ABSTRACT
Lactate dehydrogenase enzyme [LDH] is a glycolytic enzyme involved in the reversible conversion of pyruvate to lactate when absolute or relative anoxemia is present. Several authors have found that LDH concentration was increased in pre-eclampsia, but the reason for this elevation was not yet clear. In this study we measured serum LDH enzyme concentration in normal pregnancy and in pregnancy induced hypertension and its relation to fetal weight. Blood was collected from 60 women Presenting with pre-eclampsia from 60 healthy pregnant controls and from 20 non pregnant women of child bearing age. Serum LDH, liver function tests, kidney function tests and blood film for evidence of haemolysis were performed for each women. Serum LDH was measured using kinetic determination of LDH as recommended by the German Clinical Chemistry Society [DSKC]. LDH concentration was significantly higher in women with pre-eclampsia compared with healthy pregnant controls. Furthermore, LDH concentration was significantly higher in women with severe pre-eclampsia compared with women with mild pre-eclampsia. A positive significant correlation was also found between diastolic blood pressure and LDH concentration in women with pre-eclampsia. An increase in LDH level was associated with some liver cell damage, as elevated aspartate amino transferase [AST] and alanine amino transferase [ALT] concentrations were observed in pre-eclamptic women with LDH activity. There was a significant negative correlation LDH and fetal weight in women with pre-eclampsia. Elevated LDH concentration in women with pre-eclampsia may act as a predictor for small for gestational age infants. The underlying mechanism for elevated LDH in pre-eclampsia might be some abnormality in liver function