Clinical background:
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a cytoplasmic enzyme present in all cells of the body with the highest concentrations in heart, liver, muscle, kidney, lung, and erythrocytes. As the LDH concentration in tissues is about 500 times higher than that in plasma, damage of even a small amount of tissue can lead to a significant increase in activity in serum. As a consequence serum LDH concentrations can be elevated in a number of clinical conditions. The total LDH measurable in serum consists of 5 isoenzymes, LD-1 to LD-5.LDH is often used in monitoring changes in tumor burden after chemotherapy, although, lactate dehydrogenase elevations in patients with cancer are too erratic to be of use in the diagnosis of cancer.
Specimen container paediatric:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Specimen container adult:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Minimum volume paediatric:
0.5 mL blood
Minimum volume adult:
1 mL blood
Sample stability:
Unseparated sample:
day of collection
Separated sample:
7 days at 15 to 25°C,
4 days at 2 to 8°C,
6 weeks at -20°C
Reference ranges:
0 – 1 month: 125 – 765 IU/L
1 montn – 1 year: 170 – 450 IU/L
1 – 2 years: 155 – 395 IU/L
2 – 15 years: 120 – 300 IU/L
15 years and over: 135 – 225 IU/L