Secondary outcomes
The results of the meta-analysis of investigated secondary variables is
summarized in Table 2 . Briefly, significant increased levels of
LDH were observed among cases with HELLP compared to cases with
preeclampsia and cases with eclampsia. Early onset preeclampsia cases
had also significantly increased levels of LDH compared to controls. The
remaining differences were not significant.
The diagnostic accuracy of LDH in predicting preeclampsia could not be
explored; instead, odds ratios of developing maternal morbidity and
perinatal fetal/neonatal death outcomes were determined. Specifically,
we observed that the odds of developing HELLP, renal failure,
disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and pulmonary edema were
increased when serum LDH levels exceeded 600 IU/L and particularly when
these increased more than 800 IU/L (Appendix & Table 3 ).
Perinatal fetal/neonatal mortality was also more likely to occur.