Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to determine whether the plasma profile of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes is altered in patients with COVID-19, and whether this is attributable to a specific release of LDH-3, the main LDH isoenzyme expressed in lungs.
Design
We collected fresh plasma aliquots from 17 patients (LDH range, 281–822 U/L) and seven controls (LDH < 230 U/L). In-gel relative activity of the different LDH isoenzymes was determined by electrophoresis and densitometric analysis.
Results
Despite the expected higher total LDH activity levels in patients (p < 0.001), the in-gel relative activities of LDH isoenzymes did not differ between patients and controls (all p > 0.05). We found no correlation between total plasma LDH activity and the in-gel relative activities of the different LDH isoenzymes, including LDH-3. Likewise, there was no correlation between LDH-3 and various routine haematological and serum parameters that have been previously reported to be altered in COVID-19 (such as lymphocyte count, albumin, alanine and aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, C-reactive protein, or ferritin).
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that elevation of plasma LDH activity in patients with COVID-19 is not associated to a specific release of LDH-3 into the bloodstream, and do not support the use of LDH as a specific biomarker for lung affectation in patients with COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, lactate dehydrogenase, LDH isoenzymes, 【초록키워드】 Biomarker, lung, LDH, C-reactive protein, ferritin, activity, Lymphocyte count, Lungs, Patient, albumin, Control, Aspartate aminotransferase, plasma, creatinine, Analysis, Support, bloodstream, Alanine, no correlation, objective, Seven, Result, not differ, collected, reported, was determined, determine, expressed, expected, fresh plasma, patients with COVID-19, serum parameter, 【제목키워드】 Biomarker, lung,