Relationship between peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve, persistent hyperlactatemia, and its temporal dynamics in sepsis: a post hoc study

OBJECTIVE: To measure the prognostic value of peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve in the context of persistent sepsis-induced hyperlactatemia and measure its influence on the temporal dynamics of lactate and the strength of association between these variables. METHODS: This post hoc analysis of the peripheral perfusion index/postocclusive reactive hyperemia trial, an observational cohort study that enrolled patients with sepsis who persisted with lactate levels ≥ 2mmol/L after fluid resuscitation (with or without shock). Peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve was evaluated using the association of the peripheral perfusion index and postocclusive reactive hyperemia techniques. The cutoff point of ∆ peripheral perfusion index peak values (%) defined the groups with low (≤ 62%) and high peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve (> 62%). RESULTS: A total of 108 consecutive patients with persistent sepsis-induced hyperlactatemia were studied. The high peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve group showed higher 28-day mortality than the low peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve group (p < 0.01). The temporal dynamics of lactate within the first 48 hours showed a rapid decrease in lactate levels in the low peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve group (p < 0.01). However, this result was not reproduced in the linear mixed effects model. A weak correlation between peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve (%) and lactate level (mmol/L) was observed within the first 24 hours (r = 0.23; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prognostic value of high peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve was confirmed in the context of persistent sepsis-induced hyperlactatemia. Although there was a weak positive correlation between peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve value and lactate level within the first 24 hours of sepsis diagnosis, the low peripheral ischemic microvascular reserve group appeared to have a faster decrease in lactate over the 48 hours of follow-up.