We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Serum D(-)-lactate levels as an aid to diagnosing acute intestinal ischemia.
- Authors
Murray, M J; Gonze, M D; Nowak, L R; Cobb, C F
- Abstract
No serum marker has consistently proved helpful in diagnosing early acute mesenteric ischemia. D(-)-lactate is a product of bacterial metabolism and was found to be elevated in peripheral blood in a rat model of intestinal ischemia. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate preoperative D(-)-lactate levels in 31 patients undergoing laparotomy for acute abdominal emergencies, including suspected acute mesenteric ischemia. The serum was deproteinated and D(-)-lactate concentration was determined by a spectrophotometric assay. A control group was composed of patients with a benign abdominal examination who were operated on for central venous line placement. We found significant elevations in D(-)-lactate levels in patients with mesenteric ischemia compared with controls (P < 0.00005), as well as in patients with other forms of abdominal catastrophes (P < 0.00005) and with bowel obstruction (P < 0.0005). Sensitivity and specificity were 90% and 87%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 96%, and the positive predictive value was 70%. We have found that D(-)-lactate serum levels can aid in diagnosing acute mesenteric ischemia.
- Publication
American journal of surgery, 1994, Vol 167, Issue 6, p575
- ISSN
0002-9610
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1016/0002-9610(94)90101-5