title: [Serum activity of the lactate dehydrogenase enzyme in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many patients with infection by the HIV show an increase in the levels of the lactodehydrogenase (LCH) enzyme. In most of these cases, such increase has been associated to the presence of pneumonia by Pneumocystis carinii. In order to analyze other possible causes of this increase, we conducted a study in which the clinical, analytical and immunological condition of a group of HIV+ patients with increased levels of LDH was compared to another group whose values were within normal limits.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical records of 200 patients with HIV infection were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups depending if their LDH values were greater than (group A) or lower than (group B) the upper limit considered as normal in our laboratory (230-460 UI/L). Group A included 150 patients and Group B, 50.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups were similar with respect to age, sex risk group for HIV infection, hemoglobin level, platelet count and renal function. The number of patients fulfilling AIDS criteria was significantly greater (p < 0.05) among those with LDH above 460 UI/L. Leukocytes and lymphocytes CD4+ values were significantly greater (p < 0.05) among group B. The diseases more frequently diagnosed in group A were: tuberculosis in 41 cases (27%), pneumonia by P. carinii in 31 (21%), bacterial pneumonia in 19 (13%), disseminated disease by cytomegalovirus in 14 (9%) and by Mycobacterium avium in 12 (8%). Among the patients with increased LDH, their levels were similar in the patients with tuberculosis, pneumocystosis and in the patients with AIDS and those which were in the first stages of the HIV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in LDH among the patients with HIV infection in the era of the prophylaxis against P. carinii must be carefully interpreted. Greater levels of this enzyme are little specific, but have a high sensitivity in the case of tuberculosis and pneumocystosis.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas, CIC. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laguna
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castejón
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adrados
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González Lahoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
vernacular_title: Actividad sérica de la enzima láctico deshidrogenasa en pacientes con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.