Artifactual elevation of measured plasma L-lactate concentration in the presence of glycolate

Abstract

Glycolate causes large artifactual elevations in plasma L-lactate measurements by two analyzers in common use, with potential for misdiagnosis of lactic acidosis in ethylene glycol poisoning. A possible cause of the interference is incomplete specificity of the analytical reagent L-lactate oxidase, allowing cross-reaction with glycolate.