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CLINICAL PRACTICE: IN PRACTICE
ABBREVIATIONS: HBDH = alpha-hyfroxybutyric dehydrogenase; LD = lactate dehydrogenase.
INDEX TERMS: alpha-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase; laboratory testing; lactate dehydrogenase.
Clin Lab Sci 2001; 14(3):139
In many laboratory test panels, there are some items that have overlapping components. Those parts can be used to validate the accuracy of other test results and to explain any abnormal or unexpected results.
Recently, a 65-year-old male was seen in the out-patient department for complaints of dizziness and fatigue. Laboratory studies showed an anemia with an erythrocyte count of 1.19 X 10^sup 12^/L. and a hemoglobin of 50 g/L. The preliminary diagnosis was iron deficiency anemia or sideroblastic anemia and the patient was hospitalized. The biochemical laboratory test results indicated that the patient had an extremely depressed serum alpha-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase (HBDH) activity and an elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LD) activity. Table 1 lists the complete panel of the clinical chemistry laboratory tests performed and their results. These values demonstrate an incompatibility because HBDH activity measures mainly LD^sub 1^ isoenzyme.1
To check the accuracy of the low activity of HBDH, we measured the LD isoenzyme by electrophoresis on cellular acetate...