Lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme in cerebrospinal fluid of children with infantile spasms

Increased levels of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been reported in association with several intracranial pathologies. We studied LDH isoenzymes in the CSF of children with infantile spasms. CSF samples collected from 12 patients (aged 4–9 months) with infantile spasms were analyzed for total LDH isoenzymes activity, and were compared to samples from 15 normal children. Mean total LDH activity in the CSF was 34.62 ± 6.52 U/l. Patients with infantile spasms had a lower LDH-1 percentage and higher LDH-3 percentage; the differences from the control group were statistically significant (p