Influence of intravenous thiamine supplementation on blood lactate concentration prior to cardiac surgery: A double-blinded, randomised controlled pilot study.

Background: Stress related to surgery and critical illness depletes thiamine, essential in energy metabolism, and might result in high blood lactate concentrations and higher mortality.

Objectives: We hypothesised that thiamine supplementation would increase blood concentration of thiamine and reduce blood lactate concentration postoperatively. Moreover, we aimed to identify the prevalence of, and risk factors for, high blood lactate concentrations.