Relationship between lactate level, recovery and prognosis after acute type A aortic dissection

  AIM  To analyze the relationship between lactate level, recovery and prognosis after acute Stanford type-A aortic dissection (aTAAD).

  METHODS  From January 2020 to June 2021, aTAAD patients who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of cardiovascular surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were screened and followed up for half a year. A total of 293 patients were included, including 263 patients who underwent surgical treatment only, 4 patients who were followed up for half a year, and 259 patients who met the research criteria, including 176 males and 83 females, The age was (51 ± 12) years old. They were divided into death group and survival group according to whether they died at the end of follow-up. There were 59 patients in the death group and 200 patients in the survival group. All patients were tested for lactate levels at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours after operation, and the time required for lactate to return to normal level was calculated. Before operation, blood samples were drawn on an empty stomach, biochemical, blood routine and coagulation indexes were taken, and echocardiography and other indexes were recorded.

  RESULTS  Through the comparison of univariate and multivariate COX of different indexes, it was found that lactate HR 0.805, 95% CI (0.708,0.916), P<0.01, the time required for lactate to return to normal level HR 1.066, 95% CI (1.039,1.094), P<0.01, DD HR 1.052, 95% CI (1.023,1.082), P<0.01 and age HR 1.047, 95% CI (1.015,1.081), P<0.01 were the influencing factors of aTAAD patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the time required for lactic acid to return to normal level was 0.789 95% CI (0.656,0.801), the sensitivity was 83.1%, and the specificity was 59.5% (P<0.01). By comparing the area under the curve, it was found that the predictive value of the time required for lactic acid to return to normal level was greater than other indexes. The patients were divided into two groups: the time required for lactic acid to return to the normal level <21 h group and the time required for lactic acid to return to the normal level >21 h group. The survival curve affecting the prognosis of aTAAD patients was further drawn. It was found that the survival rate of patients in the time required for lactic acid to return to the normal level <21 h group was higher than that in the time required for lactic acid to return to the normal level >21 h group, and log rank test P<0.01.

  CONCLUSION  Lactic acid 24 hours after aTAAD and the time required for lactic acid to return to normal level are independent factors affecting the long-term prognosis, and the predictive value of the time required for lactic acid to return to normal level is better than lactic acid level alone. The predictive value of the time required for lactic acid to return to normal level is the best prognostic indicator and it provides a basis for early clinical intervention and treatment.