Can Platelet Indices and Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels be Used for the Differential Diagnosis of Malignancy in Children with Lymphadenopathies?

Abstract

Introduction: Platelet indices such as the mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) have been reported to have a diagnostic value in some cancer types and inflammatory diseases. In this study, the platelet indices and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were investigated in children with reactive lymph node hyperplasia and lymphoma.Methods: In total, 102 children were enrolled in this study. Overall, 30 healthy children and 72 children, who had undergone excisional lymph node biopsy between October 2011 and 2016, were enrolled this study. File records were retrospectively reviewed.Results: Histopathologically, 50 (69.4%) of the 72 patients were diagnosed with reactive lymph node hyperplasia, and 22 (30.5%) were diagnosed with lymphoma. Of the cases diagnosed with lymphoma, 15 (68%) were those of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 7 (32%) were those of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. There was no difference between the patients diagnosed with reactive lymph node hyperplasia and those with lymphoma in terms of leukocyte counts, MPV and PDW values, and serum LDH levels (p>0.05, for all). The serum LDH levels of both groups were statistically significantly higher than those of the control group (p<0.001, for both).Conclusion: Platelet indices and serum LDH levels are not useful in the differentiation of malignant and non-malignant differentiation in children with unexplained lymphadenopathies. Serum LDH levels may remain within the normal range in low-grade tumors such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Keywords

• Lymphadenopathy
• reactive
• malignant
• platelet index
• lactate dehydrogenase