The role of serum lactate levels in predicting abdominal surgery in geriatric patients who had computed tomography

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the importance of serum lactate levels in making decision regarding abdominal surgery in elderly patients who underwent computed tomography. Patients and Methods: Patients over 65 years of age who presented to the emergency department of a tertiary teaching hospital in 2019 were scanned within the hospital data processing system according to the criteria of tomography of the abdomen. Patients' age, gender, lactate levels, the medical reason for their visit, pathological condition of abdominal computed tomography (aCT), a recommendation of emergent surgery, mortality status, and length of stay in the hospital were collected. The patients were divided into four groups according to surgery recommendation and pathologic status in aCT. Results: Of the 356 patients who were included in the study, 194 (54.5%) were male. The mean age of the participants was 77.1±7.82 years, and their mean lactate level was 2.59±2.41 mmol/liter. Lactate values were statistically significant according to ROC analysis that predict the state of surgery recommendation (AUC:0.796, p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in lactate values between the groups (1. 78±1.46, 3.19±2.71, 4.44±3.22, I-II p<0.001, I-III p<0.001, II-III p=0.002). Conclusion: In geriatric patients, the aCT results and lactate levels were found to be reliable in deciding to eliminate abdominal surgery.