Need for intensive care admission based on point-of-care measurement of serum lactate levels in early trauma care.

Trauma is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. The time delay in presentation and the lack of knowledge about the availability of early markers of severity assessment decrease the success of survivability. The serum lactate analyses help the intensivist in effective triaging and thereby sorting out the indeed need of trauma victims for early intensive care management. Moreover, it guides orthopaedic surgeons, on when they should impart definitive surgery on polytrauma patients. Serum lactate analysis is an excellent 'resuscitation predictor' and its value have well utilized for framing a resuscitation protocol in advanced trauma care. The objective of this review is to enlighten the usage of serum lactate analysis at the point of early trauma care. Nevertheless, it describes the application of a continuous lactate monitoring system using sensor-based technologies in sports as well as trauma medicine.