Hyperlactatemia and low central venous saturation can predict prognosis after cardiac surgery.

Hyperlactatemia and low central venous saturation are commonly encountered in critically ill patients and carry a prognostic significance in those with sepsis. Few reports, however, have examined the relationship between these parameters immediately after cardiac surgery and clinical outcome. We examined the ability of the arterial plasma lactate concentration and central venous saturation to predict patient outcome after cardiac surgery.