Lactate levels and pneumonia severity index are good predictors of in-hospital mortality in pneumonia.
BACKGROUND
Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease caused by micro-organisms. The pneumonia severity index (PSI) and CURB_65 scores are widely used to predict the mortality risk. We wanted to calculate the value of lactic acid level in predicting the mortality risk.


METHODS
This prospective cross-sectional study performed in a third level education and research hospital. The pneumonia diagnosis was determined by symptoms, physical examination findings, and radiological findings.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 71.0 ± 16.5. The overall mortality rate was 21.8%. The mean lactate level was 3.53 ± 3.59. Lactate is significantly higher in patients who were died. The PSI and CURB_65 scores were higher in patients who died. The cutoff value of lactate level for mortality is 3.35 mmol/mm3. The cutoff point of PSI for mortality was 148.5 points; equal or over this point the mortality rate is 90.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
The early prediction of the mortality risk is important to determine the high risk patients to hospitalize in intensive care unit and close follow up. The lactate level, PSI score and CURB_65 scores are good predictors for mortality. We can use them in emergency departments for risk stratification.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Atatürk Education & Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Bulut
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-5770
B
Demirel
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity / Q000639:trends; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D007773:Lactates
CURB_65; lactate; mortality; pneumonia; pneumonia severity index