[suzierose]

LDH prognostic factor...does anyone know why?

by suzierose on Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:43 am

Prognostic Value of LDH in Myeloma:

"Dr Krina K. Patel examined records of 1247 myeloma patients all the way back to 1974 to determine the correlation between lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at diagnosis to their length of survival. A value of 300 IU/L was the threshhold. She found that those with LDH greater than 300 IU/L lived just 16 months, while those with HDL under that mark lived 47 months, about three times as long."

I don't know if this is really news, but it does appear that LDH can be used as a poor-man's cytogenetics, flagging those patients who are now called "high-risk.

Why do LDH levels tell us about the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma? What is LDH a reflection of in terms of disease aggressiveness and progression?