Blood lactate in mild and moderate ARDS secondary to SARS COV 2

Background and objectives: Elevated blood lactate levels are associated with poor outcome in several critical conditions. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 rarely develop hyperlactatemia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trend of lactatemia in patients affected by mild/moderate SARS-Co V-2-ARDS and if it affected prognosis. Methods: We analyzed blood lactate levels in thirty-eight patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to COVID Care Unit of Santa Maria delle Grazie Hospital, Pozzuoli. Results: Twenty patients survived and were discharged at home and 18 patients died. Despite severe hypoxia that affected all patients enrolled, T0 lactate was within normal values. All survivors showed a significant increase in lactate concentration the day prior to clinical improvement. In not-survivors levels of lactate did not increase significantly. Conclusion: In our study, patients who survive SARS CoV-2 ARDS have a fleeting increase in lactate, which precedes clinical improvement by one day.