Question:medium

Which isoform of LDH is raised in anemia?

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Think which LDH isoform is concentrated inside red blood cells.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • LDH 5
  • LDH 4
  • LDH 3
  • LDH 2
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall the tissue map of the five LDH isoenzymes. LDH-1 and LDH-2 track the heart and red cells, LDH-3 marks lung and platelets, and LDH-4 and LDH-5 follow liver and skeletal muscle. The key fact here is that erythrocytes carry abundant LDH-2.

Step 2: Anemia, particularly megaloblastic anemia, is dominated by ineffective erythropoiesis where defective precursors are destroyed inside the marrow. This cell breakdown spills erythrocyte enzymes into the blood.

Step 3: Because LDH-2 is the dominant red cell isoform, its serum activity climbs in such anemias. The other listed isoforms point to lung, liver or muscle rather than red cells, so they are not the expected answer.

\[\boxed{\text{LDH-2 is raised in anemia}}\]
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