LactateNCT07582614
Establishment of Reference Limits for Blood Lactate Levels in Intensive Care Patients With a Particular Focus on Age and Sex
An observational study of Lactate and Sepsis, run by Uppsala University at 1 site in Sweden.
Trial summary
The goal of this observational study is to learn whether there are age- and sex-specific threshold levels of blood lactate that can better predict the risk of death and serious illness in people receiving intensive care, especially those with sepsis (a severe infection that affects the whole body). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Lactate, Sepsis, Emergency Department Patient
- How many people
- 16,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSweden
- Study dates
- 6 Nov 2025to 30 Dec 2035
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Any patient where lactate was analysed at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden between 2016 and 2024
Who may be able to join
- Having any recorded lactate
Who cannot join
- lacking lactate
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The goal of this observational study is to learn whether there are age- and sex-specific threshold levels of blood lactate that can better predict the risk of death and serious illness in people receiving intensive care, especially those with sepsis (a severe infection that affects the whole body).
Lactate is a chemical that the body produces during metabolism. High levels in the blood are often a sign that tissues are not getting enough oxygen, but newer research shows that lactate may also rise due to stress hormones and changes in how cells use energy.
Read more
Doctors currently define septic shock as sepsis with low blood pressure that does not improve after fluids, combined with a lactate level higher than 2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). This value was set based on expert agreement but may not be ideal for everyone. Recent studies suggest that even lactate levels below 2 mmol/L can still be linked to a higher chance of dying in the hospital.
This study aims to find out if different cutoff levels for men and women, and for different age groups, could improve how doctors identify patients at higher risk, compared with using the same general value for everyone.
Main questions:
Do older adults and younger adults have different blood lactate thresholds linked to worse outcomes in sepsis?
Do men and women show different relationships between lactate levels and risk of death or complications?
Can combining lactate levels with other factors (such as blood pressure or medical history) improve predictions of outcome in intensive care?
Study design:
This is a retrospective observational study based on data from Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden. The study includes all people admitted between 2016 and 2024 who had blood lactate measured during their hospital stay. People without lactate measurements or with unknown identity are excluded.
Researchers will analyze the relationship between lactate levels, age, sex, and survival in intensive care. They will use statistical models to find threshold values of lactate linked to higher risk of death or need for advanced care. Machine learning methods, such as clustering algorithms, will be used to identify patient subgroups with similar biological patterns. The researchers will also perform sensitivity analyses to test whether their findings are robust.
Why this study matters:
If reliable age- and sex-specific lactate thresholds can be identified, doctors may be able to detect patients at risk earlier, even when lactate levels seem normal. This could help guide treatment and monitoring more precisely for each person. The results may contribute to a more personalized definition of septic shock and influence future international guidelines for sepsis management.
Background:
Traditionally, high lactate levels in sepsis were believed to mean tissues were not getting enough oxygen. However, new evidence shows that lactate can also increase for other reasons, such as overactive stress responses, even when oxygen levels are normal. The liver and kidneys usually remove lactate from the blood, but their function may be reduced during severe infection. Treatments for septic shock currently focus mainly on maintaining blood pressure, but this does not always reflect how well oxygen reaches tissues. Current definitions do not consider differences in how people of various ages or sexes produce or clear lactate. Understanding these differences could improve how doctors interpret blood tests and adjust treatments.
Potential benefits:
The study will not directly involve new treatments, since it uses existing hospital data. However, its findings may help improve early detection of severe infection, support development of personalized treatment strategies, and reduce death rates among people with sepsis in intensive care.
In summary, this study seeks to find better ways to interpret blood lactate levels in intensive care by focusing on age and sex differences. The results may lead to more accurate risk prediction and individualized care for people with sepsis.
- Conditions
- Lactate, Sepsis, Emergency Department Patient, ICU, Hospitalisation, Mortality
- Keywords
- lactate
- Medical subject headings
- Sepsis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ICU | Any patient admitted to ICU and having at least one recorded lactate value | |
| Emergency Department | Any patient seen in the Emergency department and having at least one recorded lactate value | |
| Ward | Any patient admitted to a non-ICU ward and having at least one recorded lactate value |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mortality
Risk of death after having a lactate recorded
Measured: 1 year
Secondary outcomes (1)
ICU admission
Admission to ICU after measurement of lactate
Measured: 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 May 2026
- Study start6 Nov 2025
- Primary completion30 Dec 2035 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Dec 2035 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for LactateStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Uppsala UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 16,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Uppsala University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Michael Hultström, Uppsala University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07582614
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- LactateLimits2025
- Other IDs
- 2025-06050-01, 2025
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 13 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Data can be shared with other researchers upon request after appropriate ethical permissions and data transfer agreements.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Establishment of Reference Limits for Blood Lactate Levels in Intensive Care Patients With a Particular Focus on Age and Sex
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07582614
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- LactateLimits2025
- Conditions
- Lactate, Sepsis, Emergency Department Patient, ICU, Hospitalisation, Mortality
- Keywords
- lactate
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 16,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Uppsala UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Dec 2035 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Dec 2035 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this observational study is to learn whether there are age- and sex-specific threshold levels of blood lactate that can better predict the risk of death and serious illness in people receiving intensive care, especially those with sepsis (a severe infection that affects the whole body).
Lactate is a chemical that the body produces during metabolism. High levels in the blood are often a sign that tissues are not getting enough oxygen, but newer research shows that lactate may also rise due to stress hormones and changes in how cells use energy.
Doctors currently define septic shock as sepsis with low blood pressure that does not improve after fluids, combined with a lactate level higher than 2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). This value was set based on expert agreement but may not be ideal for everyone. Recent studies suggest that even lactate levels below 2 mmol/L can still be linked to a higher chance of dying in the hospital.
This study aims to find out if different cutoff levels for men and women, and for different age groups, could improve how doctors identify patients at higher risk, compared with using the same general value for everyone.
Main questions:
Do older adults and younger adults have different blood lactate thresholds linked to worse outcomes in sepsis?
Do men and women show different relationships between lactate levels and risk of death or complications?
Can combining lactate levels with other factors (such as blood pressure or medical history) improve predictions of outcome in intensive care?
Study design:
This is a retrospective observational study based on data from Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden. The study includes all people admitted between 2016 and 2024 who had blood lactate measured during their hospital stay. People without lactate measurements or with unknown identity are excluded.
Researchers will analyze the relationship between lactate levels, age, sex, and survival in intensive care. They will use statistical models to find threshold values of lactate linked to higher risk of death or need for advanced care. Machine learning methods, such as clustering algorithms, will be used to identify patient subgroups with similar biological patterns. The researchers will also perform sensitivity analyses to test whether their findings are robust.
Why this study matters:
If reliable age- and sex-specific lactate thresholds can be identified, doctors may be able to detect patients at risk earlier, even when lactate levels seem normal. This could help guide treatment and monitoring more precisely for each person. The results may contribute to a more personalized definition of septic shock and influence future international guidelines for sepsis management.
Background:
Traditionally, high lactate levels in sepsis were believed to mean tissues were not getting enough oxygen. However, new evidence shows that lactate can also increase for other reasons, such as overactive stress responses, even when oxygen levels are normal. The liver and kidneys usually remove lactate from the blood, but their function may be reduced during severe infection. Treatments for septic shock currently focus mainly on maintaining blood pressure, but this does not always reflect how well oxygen reaches tissues. Current definitions do not consider differences in how people of various ages or sexes produce or clear lactate. Understanding these differences could improve how doctors interpret blood tests and adjust treatments.
Potential benefits:
The study will not directly involve new treatments, since it uses existing hospital data. However, its findings may help improve early detection of severe infection, support development of personalized treatment strategies, and reduce death rates among people with sepsis in intensive care.
In summary, this study seeks to find better ways to interpret blood lactate levels in intensive care by focusing on age and sex differences. The results may lead to more accurate risk prediction and individualized care for people with sepsis.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ICU | – | –Any patient admitted to ICU and having at least one recorded lactate value |
| Emergency Department | – | –Any patient seen in the Emergency department and having at least one recorded lactate value |
| Ward | – | –Any patient admitted to a non-ICU ward and having at least one recorded lactate value |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Any patient where lactate was analysed at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden between 2016 and 2024
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Having any recorded lactate
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- lacking lactate
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Mortality
Time frame: 1 year
Risk of death after having a lactate recorded
1 secondary outcome
ICU admission
Time frame: 1 year
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Data can be shared with other researchers upon request after appropriate ethical permissions and data transfer agreements.
Related trials for Lactate
Not yet recruiting
Double Plasma Separation and Adsorption in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (DPMAS-ACLF Trial)
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF)
Not yet recruiting
Vitamin C for Acute Kidney Injury in ACLF With Septic Shock: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF)
Active, not recruitingObservational study
Isolation of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria From Bangladeshi Fermented Foods
Isolation, Identification
Recruiting
Lactic Acid Bacteria in Functional Diarrheal Disorders
IBS-D (Diarrhea-predominant), IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Recruiting
Lactic Acid Bacteria for Reducing Blue Light-Induced Eye Fatigue
Digital Eye Strain (DES)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Lactate and Sepsis, run by Uppsala University at 1 site in Sweden.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Sweden. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mortality (time frame: 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 May 2026.