[Lactic acidosis and intensive care. 16 cases (author's transl)].

Sixteen cases of lactic acidosis are reported: 7 phenformin treated diabetes, 5 cardiovascular diseases (2 myocardial infractions, 2 pulmonary embolisms, 1 heart failure). In 2 patients no etiology was found. Concomittant renal failure or liver diseases were found in respectively 9 and 4 cases. Patients presented the usual criteria of lactic acidosis: clinical, polypnea, severe hypotension (9/16), peripheral symptoms of shock (12/16), hypothermia (9/16), abdominal pain (9/16): biologically, acidosis (pH = 6,99 +/- 0,01, HCO3- = 5,9 +/- 1,5 mmol), hyperlactatemia (14,1 +/- 3,6 mmol/l) with hig lactate/pyruvate ratio (105 +/- 73), and anion gap (24,3 +/- 4,2 mmol/l). Sodium bicarbonate infusion was performed in all cases (2,5 to 42 mmol/kg). Few cases required volhemic expansion or furosemid induced diuresis. One patient was treated with extrarenal dialysis. 13 patients were alkalinised with less than 185% of estimated deficit measured from alkalin reserve: 12 died. 3 patients received 185% more than this deficit, associated with furosemid (1,8 to 12,5 mg/kg): only one patient died ten days after by casual disease, with lactatemia of 3,2 mmol/l. In spite of the small number of patients, these findings suggest that an early and massive alkalinisation, with large doses of furosemid, can improve the severe lactic acidosis prognosis.