The Utility of Elevated Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase in Current Clinical Practice.
Lab Med
; 52(2): e17-e22, 2021 Mar 15.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32766696
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Because of its wide tissue distribution, elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LD) is a nonspecific finding. Although serum LD is still included in the prognosis and staging of metastatic melanoma and germ cell tumors, its nonspecificity has led to decreased usefulness.METHODS:
In this study, we analyzed the serum LD assays performed in a 726-bed hospital during a 1-year period and reviewed charts of patients with serum LD of >3 standard deviations (SD).RESULTS:
Of 312 patients with elevated serum LD, only 9 were patients with melanoma and germ cell tumors. The other 303 patients had other malignancies, chronic conditions, and sepsis.CONCLUSION:
Elevated serum LD (even >3 SD) is an extremely nonspecific finding that does not contribute to clinical management in a majority of patients. As such, serum LD testing should be retired from routine clinical order sets and restricted in use.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Biomarkers
/
Mass Screening
/
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Lab Med
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article