Correlation of end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) level with serum lactate in patient with septic shock

Abstract

Background: Septic shock patients usually have perfusion disturbance that causes increased lactate production, induces metabolic acidosis. This is compensated by hyperventilation. As the consequence decreased PaCO2 can be measured as end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2). Thus monitoring of End Tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) could be a convenient monitoring in Septic Shock Objectives: To see the correlation between end-tidal CO2 with serum lactate in Septic Shock patient. Methods: This was observational, cross sectional study conducted on January to July, 2020 at ICU in Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Subjects were septic shock patient aged between two extreme age recruited by purposive sampling.ETCO2 measured by capnograph, Serum lactate and blood gas analysis were done. Clinical and biochemical data were recorded and analyzed. P value was determined by Pearson correlation. P value was significant at <0.05. Results: There were 80 subjects analyzed with median age 40 years old. Most of the patients had compensated metabolic acidosis. Correlation analysis between ETCO2 and lactate showed significant strong negative correlation (r= -0.747; p=0.001).Using Pearson correlation, an inverse relationship was noticed between serum lactate and ETCO2 (p<0.0001, r=-0.65). Conclusion: In septic shock patient increase serum lactate level was correlated with decrease ETCO2 on admission and ETCO2 measurement by capnography is a non-invasive procedure and it takes less time.

JBSA 2023; 36 (1) : 33-36