AUTHOR=Huang Yihui , Guo Liang , Chen Jiwei , Wu Meng , Zhang Chao , Liu Zeming , Li Jinpeng , Li Kun , Xiong Zhongwei , Wu Qian , Li Zhengwei , Luo Kuan , Yuan Weiwei , Wu Xiaohui 

TITLE=Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Level as a Prognostic Factor for COVID-19: A Retrospective Study Based on a Large Sample Size

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.671667

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.671667

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> In this study, we investigated the relationship between serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and disease progression and prognosis of patients with COVID-19.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We retrospectively reviewed the information of 1,751 patients with COVID-19 from Leishenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses as well as Logistics regression analyses, and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to determine the association between LDH levels and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> LDH was an independent risk factor for in-hospital death no matter it was taken as classified variable and continuous variable (all <italic>P</italic> = 0.001) but not for severe or critical illness status. The Kaplan-Meier curves for LDH level showed that an elevated level of LDH was associated with in-hospital death.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> In patients with COVID-19, the increased LDH level is associated with a higher risk of negative clinical prognosis and higher mortality. This will provide a reference for clinicians and researchers to understand, diagnose, and treat patients with COVID-19. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify these findings.</p>