Lactate Level Predicts Mortality in Pulmonary Embolus

Lactate level is known to predict outcomes in patients with sepsis and trauma. Considering that pulmonary embolism (PE) might cause lactic acidosis through hypoperfusion or hypoxia, researchers studied whether lactate level predicts mortality in patients with PE.

The researchers measured lactate level at the time of PE diagnosis in 270 patients who presented to a single emergency department in Italy. Within 30 days, 17% of the 81 patients with lactate ≥2 mmol/L had died from all causes, versus 2% of the 189 with lactate <2 mmol/L (hazard ratio for death, 11.67). Among patients without hypotension or shock, lactate ≥2 mmol/L had a positive predictive value for all-cause death at 30 days of 16% and a negative predictive value of 98%.