Objective To analyze the correlations of serum homocysteine (Hcy), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels with the clinical characteristics and short-term efficacy of acute leukemia (AL). Methods Ninety-five AL patients were selected as study group, and another 95 healthy volunteers during the same period were chosen as control group. The general information and levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 were compared between the two groups. The serum levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 were compared among patients with different clinical characteristics in the study group. The relationship between serum Hcy, LDH and IL-17 levels and the clinical features of AL was analyzed. The serum levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 before and after treatment, as well as their change values (△indicating the absolute value of the change in the corresponding indicator before and after treatment) were compared among AL patients. The correlation of the changes in serum Hcy, LDH and IL-17 levels with the short-term efficacy of AL was analyzed. Results The serum levels of Hcy, LDH, and IL-17 in the study group[(14.36±3.24) μmol/L, (591.42±113.85) U/L and (9.64±3.01) pg/mL, respectively]were significantly higher than those in the control group [(9.75±2.08) μmol/L, (120.81±20.64) U/L and (4.08±1.25) pg/mL, respectively](P < 0.05). In the study group, patients at high risk of stratification had significantly higher serum levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 [(15.83±3.10) μmol/L, (636.19±110.54) U/L and (10.62±2.96) pg/mL, respectively] compared to patients at low and medium risk[(12.58±2.71) μmol/L, (537.28±95.68) U/L and (8.45±2.29) pg/mL, respectively]. Patients with extramedullary infiltration had significantly higher serum levels of Hcy, LDH, and IL-17[(16.12±3.15) μmol/L, (647.59±115.46) U/L and (11.05±3.04) pg/mL, respectively]compared to patients without extramedullary infiltration[(13.38±2.89) μmol/L, (560.11±97.25) U/L and (8.85±2.65) pg/mL, respectively](P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation of serum levels of Hcy, LDH, and IL-17 with the risk stratification and extramedullary infiltration of AL in the study group (P < 0.05). Patients with poor treatment response in the study group had significantly higher serum levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 before and after treatment compared to patients with a good treatment response, and △Hcy, △LDH and △IL-17 were significantly smaller than those of patients with a good treatment response (P < 0.05). There were positive correlations between △Hcy, △LDH and △IL-17 and the short-term efficacy of AL in the study group (P < 0.05). Conclusion The serum levels of Hcy, LDH and IL-17 are positively correlated with the risk stratification and extramedullary infiltration of AL, and the changes in these indicators before and after treatment are positively correlated with the short-term efficacy of AL.