INCREASED CONCENTRATIONS OF LACTATE-DEHYDROGENASE IN PREGNANCY WITH PREECLAMPSIA - A PREDICTOR FOR THE BIRTH OF SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE INFANTS

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspart ate aminotransferase (AST) concentrations and platelet counts were mea sured in 26 normal pregnant women and 51 preeclamptic women. In the no rmal-pregnancy group, no significant changes were found in the results of these tests. In the preeclampsia group, ALT and AST concentrations were not significantly higher than those in normal pregnancy, but the LDH concentrations increased and the platelet counts decreased signif icantly through the pregnancy. The increases in LDH did not correlate with changes in ALT or AST. Preeclamptic women with small-for-gestatio nal-age (SGA) infants had significantly higher LDH concentrations than those in the appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) group, but ALT and AST concentrations did not increase significantly. As reasons for the LDH increase in our subjects, liver damage was excluded and more acti ve glycolysis in addition to severe cell damage due to chronic anoxemi a were inferred. It is suggested that an increase in LDH is predictive of SGA infants in preeclamptic pregnancy, especially in those with no rmal liver function.