The Relationship Between Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Level and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients

Abstract

Background: To assess the association between serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and mortality in intensive care unit patients. Materials & methods: A total of 1981 patients in the eICU Collaborative Research Database were divided into four groups according to quartiles of LDH levels. Logistic regressions were performed. Results: Elevated LDH levels were significantly associated with higher mortality (intensive care unit mortality: Q2 vs Q1: 1.046 [0.622–1.758]; Q3 vs Q1: 1.667 [1.029–2.699]; and Q4 vs Q1: 1.760 [1.092–2.839]). Similar results persisted in patients with different acute physiology and chronic health evaluation IV scores, and with or without sepsis. Conclusion: The serum LDH level may aid in the early identification of mortality risk in critically ill patients.

Keywords:

• eICU Collaborative Research Database intensive care unit
• lactate dehydrogenase
• mortality

Author contributions

G Wang, D Su and J Li designed the study. G Wang provided funding for the study. J Li, R Li, X Jin and J Ren extracted data from the eICU-CRD database. D Su, J Li, J Ren and Y Gao performed statistical analysis and wrote the manuscript. J Li, J Ren, Y Gao, R Li, X Jin and J Zhang revised the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the researchers at the MIT Laboratory for Computational Physiology and collaborating research groups who keep the eICU-CRD databases available.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81770057). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The re-identification risk of eICU database was certified as meeting safe harbor standards by Privacert (MA, USA) (HIPAA certification no. 1031219-2).

Data sharing statement

The eICU (version 2.0) database is publicly available from https://physionet.org/content/eicu-crd/. Any researcher who adheres to the data use requirements is permitted access to the database.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81770057). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.