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Laboratory Medicine

Test Directory / Lactate

Lactate

Fluoride Oxalate

TestLactate
Common AbbreviationsLAC
ProfileNA
Tube typefluoride EDTA
Clinical IndicationLactate is the end product of anaerobic glycolysis. There are two major clinical settings in which lactic acidosis occurs (1) in conditions associated with hypoxia such as shock and (2) in metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. Increased plasma lactate is characteristic of tissue hypoxia. Lactate can also be used as a marker of severity of septic shock.
Specimen TypeBlood
Sample typePlasma
Minimum Volume1mL
Special PrecautionsSample must be sent to the laboratory ASAP after collection, and must be separated within a maximum of 6 hours
StabilitySeparated plasma stable for 8 hours at 15-25°C and 14 days at 4°C
Turnaround TimeInpatient: 4 hours Outpatient/ GP: 24 hours
LaboratoryYork and Scarborough
Reference Interval0.6 - 2.5 mmol/L (Recommended by the Pathology Harmonisation Reference Group)
LimitationsSamples should not be taken from patients receiving therapy with high biotin doses (i.e. > 5 mg/day) until at least 8 hours following the last biotin administration.
Notes
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