Evaluation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in body cavity effusions from dogs, cats and horses

Smuts, Celia (2014) Evaluation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in body cavity effusions from dogs, cats and horses. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University.

Abstract

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity is often measured in human effusions to help in differentiating between transudates and exudates. Few studies have been performed using samples of effusions from animals. In the present study LDH activity was measured in 107 effusion samples (pleural, abdominal and pericardial) from dogs, cats and horses. LDH activity was found to be significantly increased in exudates compared to transudates in all species tested. Different methods of measuring LDH activity (wet chemistry using a lactate to pyruvate (L-P) and pyruvate to lactate (P-L) reaction, and a dry chemistry (P-L) reaction) resulted in significantly different values. In general the wet chemistry P-L reaction gave results approximately double those of the wet chemistry L-P reaction and the dry chemistry reaction was approximately double that of the wet chemistry P-L reaction. It is therefore important to know the method of measurement and this should be kept constant if cut-off values are to be used.

LDH activity in abdominal fluid may also be useful in determining prognosis in horses with colic, and cut-off values were estimated using the different methods of LDH activity measurement. LDH activity did not correlate significantly with lactate concentration in the abdominal fluids.

LDH activity was also measured in samples from dead animals in an attempt to differentiate between transudates and exudates. LDH activity was increased in effusions in all three species after death, and could not be used to differentiate between transudates and exudates in dead animals. Effusion LDH: serum LDH activity may help to separate effusions into transudates and exudates, and may also help in differentiating septic from non-septic effusions, with highest ratios present in septic effusions and lowest ratios in transudates, however, further investigation using larger numbers of animals with effusions is necessary.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters by Research)
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Veterinary and Life Sciences
Notes:	Research Masters with Training
Supervisor(s):	Mills, Jennifer, Gaal, Tibor and O'Hara, Amanda
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/24333

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