Correlation Between Serum Lactate Levels and Mortality in Patients with Sepsis: A Cross-Sectional Study

• SWAIBA AFZAL

  Assistant professor physiology , Sahiwal medical college Sahiwal

  Author

• HUMERA KHAN

  Department of Biochemistry ,Sahiwal medical college, DPS road, SAHIWAL

  Author

Background: Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of in-hospital mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Serum lactate, a by-product of anaerobic metabolism, reflects tissue hypoperfusion and has emerged as a potential prognostic biomarker.

Objective: To determine the correlation between serum lactate levels and mortality among patients with sepsis admitted to tertiary care centers of Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to February 2025 at tertiary care hospitals across Punjab. A total of 100 adult patients diagnosed with sepsis according to Sepsis-3 criteria were included through consecutive sampling. Demographic data, hemodynamic parameters, and serum lactate levels at admission were recorded. Patients were followed until discharge or death. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.4 ± 14.8 years; 58% were male. The mean serum lactate level among survivors was 2.4 ± 0.8 mmol/L, compared with 5.8 ± 1.7 mmol/L among non-survivors (p < 0.001). Mortality increased progressively with rising lactate: 10% for ≤ 2 mmol/L, 27.3% for 2.1–4 mmol/L, and 68.9% for > 4 mmol/L. A strong positive correlation was observed between serum lactate concentration and in-hospital mortality (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified lactate > 4 mmol/L as an independent predictor of death (OR = 6.12, 95% CI 2.84–13.19, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Elevated serum lactate at admission is significantly associated with increased mortality in sepsis. Routine lactate measurement offers a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable tool for early risk stratification and management prioritization in critically ill patients.

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Copyright (c) 2025 Swaiba Afzal, Humera Khan (Author)

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