Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In polytrauma patients, serum lactate and hypovolemic shock are critical biomarkers for prognosis and treatment guidance. Elevated lactate levels indicate tissue hypoperfusion and anaerobic metabolism, often correlating with increased mortality. Objective: To analyze the correlation between serum lactate levels and shock index as predictors of in-hospital mortality in polytrauma patients. Methods: A Cohort study was conducted from August 2022 to July 2023 at a single tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Patients were chosen via consecutive sampling techniques and included adult patients with polytrauma injuries (ISS ≥ 15) who survived at least 24 hours. Patients with a history of diabetes were excluded. The serum lactate levels and shock index at the time of admission and over the first 24 hours were the exposures while in-hospital mortality, was the primary outcome. Statistical analyses were conducted using Stata 16.0. Categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated mortality risk, adjusting for age, ISS, and shock index. Results: The in-hospital mortality rate in the study was 6.4% with significant predictors of mortality included increasing age (47.05 vs. 27.62 years, p<0.001), higher Injury Severity Scores (ISS) (24 vs. 19, p= 0.02), and elevated shock index at admission (0.84 vs. 0.71, p<0.001). Lactate metrics were strongly associated with mortality, showing significant correlations. Conclusions: Higher serum lactate levels and shock index are strong predictors of mortality in polytrauma patients. Greater age and injury severity also contribute to poorer outcomes.
Authors: Noor us Sahar Siddiqui, Meer Ahmed, Sanober Sikhandar, Soonh Shakoor, Shahdil Zulfikar Memon, Muhammad Momin Khan, Saima Mushtaq
Language: English
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4403472006