Using the lactate-to-albumin ratio to predict mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether the lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) can predict mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was conducted on December 16, 2021, for relevant articles that provided the predictive performance of LAR for mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock. RESULTS: Eight studies encompassing a total of 4,723 patients were included in this paper. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of the LAR for predicting mortality were 0.71 (95% confidence interval CI: 0.54-0.84), 0.68 (95% CI: 0.58-0.76) and 5.23 (95% CI: 2.62-10.45), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.70-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggests that LAR is moderately predictive of mortality among patients with sepsis or septic shock and may be beneficial to identify high-risk patients.