Background and Aim: This study compared the serum and salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and healthy controls, and assessed their potential as biomarkers for OSMF diagnosis, and monitoring its progression.
Materials and Methods: This case-control study involved 50 OSMF patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum and salivary LDH levels were measured using standard laboratory techniques. Clinical staging of OSMF was performed based on the severity of symptoms, and the relationship between LDH levels and disease stage was analyzed using statistical methods. Descriptive and inferential statistics including t-test, ANOVA, and correlation coefficients based on data distribution were used to assess the association between LDH levels and OSMF clinical features (alpha=0.05).
Results: OSMF patients showed significantly higher serum LDH levels (225.4±58.2 U/L) than healthy controls (187.6±42.4 U/L; P=0.0004). They also showed significantly higher salivary LDH levels (180.3±53.1 U/L) compared to controls (148.2±37.9 U/L; P=0.0006). A strong positive correlation was found between serum LDH levels and clinical stage of OSMF (r=0.65, P<0.001), while a moderate inverse correlation was observed between salivary LDH levels and mouth opening (r=-0.48, P<0.001).
Conclusion: Both serum and salivary LDH levels were significantly elevated in patients with OSMF compared to healthy controls. Salivary LDH, in particular, demonstrated a strong association with clinical severity and disease stage, supporting its potential as an effective, non-invasive biomarker for OSMF diagnosis, and monitoring its progression.