LDH1 (HBDH)
General information:
It is an enzyme involved in energy metabolism. It is found in almost all cells in the body with the highest levels in the heart muscle, kidney, lung. It is investigated in cases of tissue damage, liver and haematological diseases. It can also be used as a marker for progression of a disease process: staging, prognosis, response to treatment for certain types of cancer.
Elevated LDH levels are a signal for cellular damage in various disease states:
- haemolytic anemia
- megaloblastic anemia / pernicious /
- infectious mononucleosis,
- meningitis, encephalitis, AIDS
- sepsis
- acute renal failure
- acute hepatic
- failure
- wound processes
- fractures
- lymphomas, testicular cancer
- pancreatitis
High LDH levels may indicate treatment failure and poor prognosis of the disease. In chronic conditions, moderately elevated LDH values may persist for years. The use of vitamin C supplements reduces the enzyme.
Sometimes its values may have changed without being a marker for serious conditions:
- physical loads
- haemolysis (in case of improper blood collection and storage)
* in patients with high blood platelets, LDH may be artificially inflated
LDH is a non-specific test for heart and myocardial infarction.
However, it may be used by medical professionals as a warning signal in the body.
The total LDH consists of 5 molecule enzyme variants (isoenzymes): LDH1, LDH2, LDH3, LDH4 and LDH5. LDH1 and LDH2 (HBDH = HBDH) are characteristic of heart muscle, erythrocytes, brain. LDH4 and LDH5 - for liver and skeletal muscles.
SAMPLE REQUIRED:
Venous blood
Key words:
Lactate dehydrogenase, LDH