Rapid decrease in plasma D-lactate as an early potential predictor of diminished 28-day mortality in critically ill septic shock patients.

Background: Splanchnic ischemia plays a major role in the development of organ failure during septic shock. Plasma D-lactate has been proposed as a better marker of splanchnic hypoperfusion than L-lactate. We studied the prognostic ability of plasma D- and L-lactate levels.