Elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase in patients with pectus excavatum.
BACKGROUND
Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall deformity and the depression of the anterior chest wall, which compresses the internal organs. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of pectus excavatum on blood laboratory findings.


METHODS
From March 2011 to December 2011, 71 patients with pectus excavatum who visited Seoul Saint Mary Hospital for Nuss procedure were reviewed and analyzed. The blood samples were routinely taken at the day before surgery and pectus bar removal was usually performed in 2 to 3 years after Nuss procedure. To investigate the effects on blood laboratory findings, preoperative routine blood laboratory data and postoperative changes of abnormal laboratory data were analyzed.


RESULTS
Only lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), one of 26 separate routine laboratory tests, was abnormal and significantly elevated than normal value (age <10, p = 0.008; age ≥10, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between LDH levels and severities of pectus excavatum. The symmetric subgroup had significantly higher LDH level than the asymmetric subgroup (p < 0.001) and there was a significant decrease of LDH level after correction of deformity (p = 0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, only LDH, one of the routine laboratory tests, was significantly elevated than normal value, which was thought to be caused by etiologies of pectus excavatum and the compression of the internal organs. Further studies on LDH including isoenzyme studies in patients with pectus excavatum will be needed, and these studies will provide a deeper and wider comprehension of pectus excavatum.
Jae Jun
JJ
Kim
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, St, Paul's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, 620-56 Jeonnong-dong, Dongdaemun-ku, Seoul 130-709, Republic of Korea. kckmd@hanmail.net.
Chi Kyeong
CK
Kim
Hyung Joo
HJ
Park
Jae Kil
JK
Park
Seok Whan
SW
Moon
Young Kyu
YK
Moon
Hyun Jung
HJ
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D013905:Thoracoplasty / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase