Levels of lactate dehydrogenase during treatment with eculizumab. Mean levels of lactate dehydrogenase reflect the degree of hemolysis in each of the parent clinical studies from baseline to week 52. The dashed line indicates the upper limit of the normal range for lactate dehydrogenase (normal range, 103 to 223 U per liter). Values from the pilot study were normalized to that of the TRIUMPH and SHEPHERD studies and include data from the subsequent 1-year extension study. In eculizumab-treated patients, the mean level of lactate dehydrogenase was rapidly reduced to just above the upper limit of the normal range. In the placebo group, the mean level of lactate dehydrogenase remained highly elevated. The arrow depicts the transition of placebo-treated patients in TRIUMPH to eculizumab treatment in the phase 3 extension study, at which time levels of lactate dehydrogenase rapidly reduced to near normal values.
 Reprinted with permission from