LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase)

Lactate dehydrogenase is an enzyme involved in the production of energy from glucose found in all the cells of the body. It is secreted into the blood when there is any damage to body tissues. The Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Test measures the levels of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase in the blood. The human body needs energy as fuel to complete its day-to-day tasks. The fuel is produced by proteins called enzymes. And these enzymes are often present in every cell of your body. Sometimes they’re more than you may need and vice versa. There are different types of enzymes present in the body of a human, but one of the most important is LD or LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase). This enzyme is part of the energy production for every cell of the body, mainly in the heart, lungs, kidney and muscles and in the blood cells. The LDH test is recommended by the doctor to measure the amount of LDH enzyme present in fluids, such as blood and others. When the cells present in the human body are damaged or destroyed, the enzyme LDH is released in the fluid portion of the body, i.e., the blood. The amount of LDH present in the blood is very low compared to the cells of the human body. The results of the LDH test, however, reveal that it is considered to be a very non-specific marker to measure the presence of the damaged tissue in the organism. Many studies conclusion, elevated serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are indicative of cytokine-mediated tissue damage and release of LDH, which is a predictor of poor outcomes. The LDH test result is often considered so inaccurate that by itself, it cannot be trusted to identify the location or cause of the cellular damage. But that’s not all there is to the LDH test; it is often used in conjunction with other blood tests to monitor or evaluate severe diseases of the heart and brain, especially the kind of tissue damage that leads to cancer. In conditions like injury, inflammation or infection around a certain region of the body, like the brain, heart and lungs, the fluid version of LDH is accumulated or its constituents are usually changed. The result of the LDH test will reveal the levels of LDH present in the body as a form of fluid, which in-turns help the doctors to determine the cause of tissue damage. The LDH enzymes are typically high in cerebrospinal fluid (liquid produced in the brain that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord) when the human has bacterial meningitis(Spinal Meningitis). The LDH test results, when combined with tests, can be useful in determining the cause of damaged tissues around cells, such as the heart, brain and lungs. Serum LDH was validated for its potential usefulness as a marker for evaluating clinical severity and monitoring treatment response in COVID-19 pneumonia.