Sputum lactic dehydrogenase activity in bronchopulmonary infections

ABSTRACT

Sputum LDH determination can differentiate between uninfected and infected bronchial secretions and appears to be a useful objective index of response of bronchopulmonary infections to antibiotic therapy. Its behavior parallels that of the clinical, bacteriologic and radiologic picture in 20 patients in PGH treated for their infection. About one half of the patients had pneumonias secondary to diplococcus pneumonia for which doxycycline was effective. It is disturbing to note the emergence of 8 cases with gram negative infection, 5 of whom failed to respond to dexycycline, gentamycin and other antibiotics. (Author)