Background An increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase
(LDH) activity is commonly taken to support the presumptive
diagnosis of some lung diseases and a variety of
extrapulmonary disorders, but the role of LDH as an early
prognostic factor in detecting outcome in patients with
community acquired pneumonia (CAP) was not well studied
before.
Aim To assess the prognostic value of LDH and other
laboratory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin,
and neutrophil percentage] in patients with CAP.
Patients and methods We compared levels of LDH and
other laboratory markers (CRP, serum albumin, and
neutrophil percentage) with each other and with CURB65
score, length of hospital stay, and worse outcomes (ICU
admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality) in 62 (33
males and 29 females) patients with CAP who were admitted
to Pulmonology Department, Benha University Hospital,
between March 2016 and March 2017 after ethical committee
approval.Results Most of the patients with worse outcomes showed
significant high levels of LDH, CRP, albumin, and neutrophil
percentage early on admission.
Conclusion LDH was a highly sensitive biomarker for early
prediction of worse outcomes in patients with CAP.