Annals of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Prognostic Utility of Initial Lactate in Patients With Acute Drug Overdose: A Validation Cohort.
Previous studies have suggested that the initial emergency department (ED) lactate concentration may be an important prognostic indicator for inhospital mortality from acute drug poisoning. We conduct this cohort study to formally validate the prognostic utility of the initial lactate concentration in a larger, distinct patient population with acute drug overdose. ⋯ Initial lactate concentration is a useful biomarker for early clinical decisionmaking in ED patients with acute drug overdose. Studies of lactate-tailored management for these patient populations are warranted.