Abstract
Objective
To explore the relationship between lactate:pyruvate ratio, hyperlactataemia, metabolic acidosis, and morbidity.
Design and setting
Prospective observational study in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital.
Patients
Ninety-seven children after open cardiac surgery. Most children (94%) fell into low-moderate operative risk categories; observed PICU mortality was 1%.
Interventions
Blood was sampled on admission for acid-base analysis, lactate, and pyruvate. Metabolic acidosis was defined as standard bicarbonate lower than 22 mmol/l, raised lactate as higher than 2 mmol/l, and raised lactate:pyruvate ratio as higher than 20.
Measurements and results
Median cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were 80 and 46 min. Metabolic acidosis occurred in 74%, hyperlactataemia in 42%, and raised lactate:pyruvate ratio in 45% of children. In multivariate analysis lactate:pyruvate ratio increased by 6.4 in children receiving epinephrine infusion and by 0.4 per 10 min of aortic cross-clamp. Duration of inotropic support increased by 0.29 days, ventilatory support by 0.27 days, and PICU stay by 0.42 days, for each 1 mmol/l increase in lactate. Neither standard bicarbonate nor lactate:pyruvate ratio were independently associated with prolongation of PICU support.
Conclusions
Elevated lactate:pyruvate ratio was common in children with mild metabolic acidosis and low PICU mortality. Hyperlactataemia, but not elevated lactate:pyruvate ratio or metabolic acidosis, was associated with prolongation of PICU support. Routine measurement of lactate:pyruvate ratio is not warranted for children in low-moderate operative risk categories.
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Acknowledgements
This manuscript comprises a partial fulfilment of the requirements for an M.D. thesis (M.H.).
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Funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Child Health, University of Cape Town (M.H.)
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Hatherill, M., Salie, S., Waggie, Z. et al. The lactate:pyruvate ratio following open cardiac surgery in children. Intensive Care Med 33, 822–829 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-007-0593-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-007-0593-3