Regional lactate production in early canine endotoxin shock

High serum lactate may not reflect the severity of endotoxin shock: the lactate load could even be formed immediately after the endotoxin challenge. During the first 30 min after endotoxin injection (Escherichia coli; 1.5 mg/kg iv) into anesthetized dogs (4 mg.kg-1.h-1 etomidate, n = 19) we studied arterial lactate concentration; contributions of portal and splanchnic (n = 6), renal and pulmonary (n = 7), and femoral (n = 6) vascular beds to the early lactate rise; and regional O2 extraction and blood flow (microspheres). In control dogs (n = 5, no endotoxin), we found no significant hemodynamic and biochemical changes. Endotoxin caused an immediate decrease in blood pressure, cardiac output, and organ perfusion, followed by recovery after approximately 5 min to approximately 75% of preshock values at t = 30 min (except for renal blood flow, which remained low). Arterial lactate concentration started to increase almost immediately after endotoxin and increased rapidly until t = 15 min (to 300%) and then leveled off, but in spite of the hemodynamic recovery it remained elevated. A major part of the early increase in lactate concentration can be explained by splanchnic lactate production. The total splanchnic bed released more lactate than the portal bed, indicating that the liver produces lactate. We conclude that the lactate concentration later in canine endotoxin shock depends on events that occur during early shock in which the liver may play a crucial role.