What is FALSE about serum lactate?
Lactate is generated by conversion of pyruvate to lactate by lactate dehydrogenase in the setting of insufficient 0 2 • Lactate is released into the circulation and is predominantly taken up and metabolized by the liver and kidneys. The liver accounts for approximately 50% and the kidney for about 30% of whole body lactate uptake. Elevated serum lactate is an indirect measure of the 02 debt, and therefore an approximation of the magnitude and duration of the severity of shock. The admission lactate level, highest lactate level, and time interval to normalize the serum lactate are important prognostic indicators for survival. For example, in a study of 76 consecutive patients, 100% survival was observed among the patients with normalization of lactate within 24 hours, 78% survival when lactate normalized between 24 and 48 hours, and only 14% survivorship if it took longer than 48 hours to normalize the serum lactate. In contrast, individual variability of lactate may be too great to permit accurate prediction of outcome in any individual case. Base deficit and volume of blood transfusion required in the first 24 hours of resuscitation may be better predictors of mortality than the plasma lactate alone.
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