Laboratory Markers of Acidosis and Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock: Developing a Definition of Hemometabolic Shock

Background: Acidosis and higher lactate predict worse outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients. We sought to determine whether overall acidosis severity on admission predicted in-hospital mortality in CS patients. Methods: This retrospective descriptive analysis included CS patients admitted to a single academic tertiary cardiac intensive care unit from 2007 to 2015. Admission arterial pH, base excess, and anion gap values were used to generate a Composite Acidosis Score (range 0-5, with a score >= 2 defining Severe Acidosis). Adjusted in-hospital mortality was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: We included 1,065 patients with median age of 68.9 (59.0, 77.2) years (36.4% females). Concomitant diagnoses included cardiac arrest in 38.1% and acute coronary syndrome in 59.1%. Severe Acidosis was present in 35.2%, and these patients had worse shock and more organ failure. In-hospital mortality occurred in 34.1% and was higher among patients with Severe Acidosis (54.9% vs. 22.4%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.01, 95% CI 1.43-2.83, P < 0.001). Increasing Composite Acidosis Score was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 1.25 per point, 95% CI 1.11-1.40, P < 0.001). Severe Acidosis was associated with higher hospital mortality at every level of shock severity and organ failure (all P < 0.05). Admission lactate level had equivalent discrimination for in-hospital mortality as the Composite Acidosis Score (0.69 vs. 0.66; P = 0.32 by De Long test). Conclusion: Given its incremental association with higher in-hospital mortality among CS patients beyond shock severity and organ failure, we propose Severe Acidosis as a marker of hemometabolic shock. Lactate levels performed as well as a composite measure of acidosis for predicting mortality.

Automated summary

This study retrospectively analyzed cardiogenic shock patients admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit from 2007 to 2015. The results showed that the severity of acidosis on admission was positively associated with in-hospital mortality, and severe acidosis was related to shock severity and organ failure. Admission lactate levels had the same predictive ability for in-hospital mortality as a comprehensive measure of acidosis.