From the Guidelines
Elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are caused by almost anything that results in cellular lysis or injury.
Common Causes of Elevated LDH
- Strenuous exercise
- Liver disease
- Myocardial infarction
- Kidney disease
- Hemolysis
- Pneumonia as stated in the study by 1.
Clinical Significance
It's essential to note that LDH is not specific to any particular condition, and its elevation can be seen in various clinical scenarios, making it a non-specific marker. However, it has proven utility in the prognosis of chemotherapy-naïve patients with histopathologically diagnosed metastatic germ cell tumors 1.
From the Research
Causes of Elevated Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Levels
Elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels can be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
- Cell injury or damage, which releases LDH from tissues into the blood plasma/serum 2
- Malignant lymphoma, where elevated LDH levels can be an early marker of the disease 3
- Cancer, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis and can indicate the activation of oncogenic signalling pathways, metabolic activity, invasiveness, and immunogenicity of tumors 4
- Benign conditions, such as tissue damage or disease, which can also cause elevated LDH levels 5
- High-grade lymphoma-like myeloma, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis and aggressive disease course 6
Conditions Associated with Elevated LDH Levels
Elevated LDH levels have been associated with various conditions, including:
- Organ disorders, such as heart, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and erythrocyte damage 2
- Cancer types, such as melanoma, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis 4
- Malignant lymphoma, where elevated LDH levels can be an early marker of the disease 3
- Benign conditions, such as tissue damage or disease, which can also cause elevated LDH levels 5
- Multiple myeloma, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis and aggressive disease course 6
Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of LDH Levels
LDH levels can have diagnostic and prognostic value in certain conditions, including:
- Malignant lymphoma, where elevated LDH levels can be an early marker of the disease 3
- Cancer, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis and can indicate the activation of oncogenic signalling pathways, metabolic activity, invasiveness, and immunogenicity of tumors 4
- Multiple myeloma, where high serum LDH levels are associated with a poor prognosis and aggressive disease course 6
- Benign conditions, where elevated LDH levels can indicate tissue damage or disease 5