The significance of lactate-to-serum albumin ratio in pediatric sepsis

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the lactate-to-albumin ratio (L/A ratio) for sepsis in children at admission. This retrospective study involved all children with sepsis admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit from January 2021 to January 2024. Clinical data of included patients were collected through our hospital’s databases. The Pediatric Risk of Mortality and Pediatric Index of Mortality II scores were calculated, and lactate, albumin, and L/A ratio were measured within 24 hours of admission. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the independent association of the L/A ratio and the risk of sepsis on the day of admission. This study included 100 children (50 with sepsis, 50 non-sepsis). The sepsis group had a higher level of lactate and L/A ratio.The serum albumin was considerably lower compared with the non-sepsis group. Logistic regression analysis suggested that the lactate, serum albumin, L/A ratio, Pediatric Risk of Mortality score, and Pediatric Index of Mortality II score are independent risk factors for sepsis. Moreover, the area under the curve of the lactate, serum albumin, and L/A ratio is 0.76, 0.69, and 0.85, respectively. Our findings highlight the importance of the L/A ratio as a robust marker for evaluating children with sepsis.