EVALUATION OF SERUM LACTATE AS A PREDICTOR OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN SEPSIS AND TRAUMA PATIENTS

Lactate is produced in the cells in anaerobic metabolism of glucose for the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and may be an indicator of occult or global hypoperfusion. Thus, early serum lactate measurement may be a prognostic indicator of the outcome in critically ill patients. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the value of serial measurements of serum lactate levels in the predicting the outcome. After obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee and written voluntary informed consent from the relatives/patients, a total of 50 cases of trauma to chest or abdomen and patients with sepsis as per quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score or having Systemic Inammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) were included. Serum lactate levels were measured at 24 and 48 hours and the nal outcome and duration of discharge was noted. It was observed that serum lactate levels were similar in terms of gender, presence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and type of treatment. Baseline lactate levels were similar. Death was associated with signicant increase in serum lactate levels at 24 and 48 hours while a decrease in levels were associated with early discharge (at less than 7 days). It can be effectively concluded that serial measurements of serum lactate levels are of prognostic value to predict the outcome in critically ill patient with increasing levels being a harbinger of potentially fatal outcomes.