Serum lactate level predict mortality in elderly patients with cirrhosis

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Hepatology
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Elderly patients with cirrhosis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often experience multi-organ failure, leading to poor outcomes.
• Cirrhosis patients have higher morbidity and mortality rates in the ICU compared to other critically ill individuals.
• Existing severity scores aid in assessing cirrhotic patients in the ICU.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictive value of lactate levels for mortality in elderly cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU.
• To compare various severity scores and lactate levels between patients who survived and those who deceased.

Main Methods:

• Confirmed cirrhosis diagnoses through histological, clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings.
• Collected data on Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP), Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, and lactate levels.
• Compared these parameters between deceased and discharged patients.

Main Results:

• Hepatorenal syndrome and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were more prevalent in non-survivors.
• Lactate level, CTP, APACHE II, MELD, and SOFA scores were significantly higher in patients who died.
• All tested severity scores and lactate levels showed significant predictive value for mortality.

Conclusions:

• Lactate level and APACHE II score demonstrated the strongest prognostic value.
• These factors can aid in predicting mortality for elderly cirrhotic patients in the ICU.
• Further research may refine prognostic models for this population.