Lactate dehydrogenase highest elevation is expected in which condition?

Lactate dehydrogenase highest elevation is expected in which condition?

• A. Muscular dystrophy
• B. Acute myocardial infarction
• C. Megaloblastic anemia
• D. Pulmonary edema

Answer: (C)

Lactate dehydrogenase rises with cellular destruction and turnover. The largest elevations come from massive intramedullary destruction of developing red cells, as seen in megaloblastic anemia where defective DNA synthesis causes ineffective erythropoiesis. In this condition, many precursor cells die in the bone marrow and release LDH into the bloodstream, leading to especially high LDH levels. In acute myocardial infarction, LDH can increase due to heart cell injury, but this marker is less specific and the peak isn’t typically as high as during enormous marrow cell destruction. Muscular dystrophy can raise LDH from muscle breakdown, and pulmonary edema can cause some LDH release as well, but neither usually reaches the very high levels seen with intramedullary hemolysis in megaloblastic anemia.

Lactate dehydrogenase rises with cellular destruction and turnover. The largest elevations come from massive intramedullary destruction of developing red cells, as seen in megaloblastic anemia where defective DNA synthesis causes ineffective erythropoiesis. In this condition, many precursor cells die in the bone marrow and release LDH into the bloodstream, leading to especially high LDH levels.

In acute myocardial infarction, LDH can increase due to heart cell injury, but this marker is less specific and the peak isn’t typically as high as during enormous marrow cell destruction. Muscular dystrophy can raise LDH from muscle breakdown, and pulmonary edema can cause some LDH release as well, but neither usually reaches the very high levels seen with intramedullary hemolysis in megaloblastic anemia.