This article was written by Huang MH, Lai CH, Lin PI and Lai WW, and it was published in 2017 by Formosan Journal of Surgery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an elevated lactate level in surgical Intensive Care Unit patients is associated with the probability of mortality.

In emergency medicine, lactate is a widely used biomarker for risk stratification in patients with infection or severe trauma. An elevated lactate level, which is defined as a blood lactate level of 4.0 mmol/L or more, is assessed during the management of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock in order to identify those who need aggressive therapy.

This observational cohort study was carried out at three surgical ICUs, where patients were arranged into three groups according to their initial lactate measurements (Low <2.0 mmol/L, intermediate 2.0–3.9 mmol/L and high ≥4.0 mmol/L).  The primary endpoint was 28‑day mortality.

The conclusion reached by the authors was that hyperlactatemia can be used to identify high risk patients in all unscheduled surgical ICU admissions.

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Arterial lactate level is associated with mortality rate in unscheduled surgical intensive care admissions