Lactic acid as a predictor for erythrocyte transfusion in healthy preterm infants with anemia of prematurity

Elevated blood lactate levels that declined to normal after erythrocyte transfusion were observed in 17 of 37 otherwise healthy infants with anemia of prematurity (26.1±2.1 mg/dl vs 12.3±0.9 mg/dl; p p =0.01). Blood lactate concentration may be a predictor of the need for transfusion in anemia of prematurity.