Estimation of serum lactate dehydrogenase in smokeless tobacco consumers.
BACKGROUND
Salivary and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels have been correlated with potentially malignant lesions. Salivary LDH levels require special testing and can be expensive. The need for a simple and cost-effective analysis tool is essential to detect the oral malignant lesions to benefit rural populations.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to estimate the serum LDH in patients with oral lesions due to the consumption of smokeless tobacco.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with lesions were selected for this study while twenty patients served as a control. Levels of serum LDH were assessed. Age- and sex-matched controls (n = 10) with no smokeless consumption habit and with the habit but without lesion (n = 10) also had their blood drawn to assess the basal level of LDH. The results were then analyzed through the two-tailed t-test and Chi-square analysis using the SPSS statistics software.


RESULTS
The mean LDH value of patients with habit and lesion is 446.8 U/L; the mean LDH value for patients with habit but without the presence of a lesion is 421.2 U/L, and the mean LDH value for patients without a habit or lesion is 269.4 U/L. The patients having the habit of using smokeless tobacco had higher LDH values compared to the other two groups, and it is found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum LDH values increased in patients with the habit of chewing smokeless tobacco.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abinaya
A
Chari
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
P
P
Rajesh
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
S
S
Prabhu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D012424:Rural Population; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases