Prognostic value of blood lactate, base deficit, and oxygen-derived variables in an LD50 model of penetrating trauma

Abstract

Arterial lactate is a stronger index of blood loss after penetrating trauma than base deficit or oxygen-derived hemodynamic variables. The reliability of arterial lactate depends on several factors, such as the time after injury, the proportion of survivors and nonsurvivors in the study population, and on factors other than tissue hypoxia.