Lactate Dehydrogenase
(LDH)

Sample type

Serum (Red-top tube or gel-barrier tube)

Uses

1. To monitor tumor activity involving anemias and lung cancer

2. Liver and renal disease

3. Marker for hemolysis, in vivo (e.g., hemolytic anemias) or in vitro (artifactual)

Precautions

You don’t need any special preparations for an LDH blood test.

Interfering factors

• RBCs contain much more LD than serum. A hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.

• LD activity is one of the most sensitive indicators of in vitro hemolysis. Causes can include transportation via pneumatic tube, vigorous mixing, or traumatic venipuncture.

Pre-analytical errors

• Hemolysid samples

• prolonged contact of serum with red cells

• frozen specimen

• specimen refrigerated more than three days after collection at time of testing.

The corrective action

The sample must be rejected and another sample obtained.

Post-analytical errors

1-reports sent to the wrong patient

2- -write the wrong name in the report or the wrong results.

The corrective action

1-communication with patient, apologising for the error, and providing him with the correct report

2-If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered, The correct result must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient, At this point, you must communicate with the patient and apologise to him, telling him that an error has occurred and giving him the correct report.

Reference range

1-30 days: 135-750 U/L

31 days-11 months: 180-435 U/L

1-3 years: 160-370 U/L

4-6 years: 145-345 U/L

7-9 years: 143-290 U/L

10-12 years: 120-293 U/L

13-15 years: 110-283 U/L

16-17 years: 105-233 U/L

> or =18 years: 122-222 U/L