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September 15, 2025European journal of medical research4 citationsOpen Access

Lactate-to-albumin ratio and 28 day mortality in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation: a retrospective cohort study

RWRui WuBXBo XingZZZijun Zhou

Key Result

An elevated lactate-to-albumin ratio was independently associated with increased 28-day mortality in critically ill hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation (HR 1.03).

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=1,087)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does an elevated lactate-to-albumin ratio predict 28-day mortality in critically ill hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation?

P
Population
1,087 critically ill hypertensive adults with atrial fibrillation, with a mean age of 76.8 years, followed for 28 days to assess short-term mortality.
E
Exposure
Elevated lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) assessed within the first 24 hours of ICU admission
C
Comparator
Low lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR)
O
Outcome
Mortality within 28 days following ICU admissionhard clinical

The lactate-to-albumin ratio is an independent predictor of 28-day mortality in critically ill hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation, offering a simple tool for early risk stratification.

Main Result

Hazard Ratio: 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.06)

p-value: p=<0.05

Limitations

  • Retrospective analysis subject to selection bias.
  • Only ~1.4% of the initial AF cohort met all inclusion criteria, primarily due to missing lactate and/or albumin measurements within the first 24 hours.
  • Absence of complementary severity scores such as APACHE II or SAPS in the database.
  • Inability to discern whether AF was the primary reason for ICU admission or a concurrent finding.
  • Inability to reliably differentiate between new-onset and chronic AF.
  • Evaluated only LAR values obtained within the first 24 hours after ICU admission.
  • The MIMIC-IV database does not indicate whether AF was the primary admitting diagnosis or a preexisting comorbidity.
  • The final analytic sample may overrepresent patients with greater illness severity and more complete laboratory profiling due to exclusion of those without early lactate/albumin measurements.
  • The optimal LAR cutoff is data-driven and requires validation in prospective, multicenter studies.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) has emerged as a composite biomarker reflecting metabolic stress and nutritional status. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the LAR and 28 day mortality in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the MIMIC-IV v3.1 database. Patients were screened for inclusion based on predefined criteria, resulting in a final cohort of 1087 eligible patients. Mortality within 28 days of ICU admission was the primary endpoint. Statistical analyses included LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and Kaplan‒Meier survival curve analyses. RESULTS: The overall 28 day mortality rate was 22.8% (n = 248). Compared with survivors, nonsurvivors presented significantly higher LAR values (0.74 vs. 0.52, p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses indicated that the LAR was an independent predictor of 28-day mortality (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06, p < 0.05), even after adjusting for multiple clinical confounders. ROC analysis confirmed that the LAR had superior predictive ability (AUC 0.661) compared with other biomarkers. Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis revealed significant differences in mortality between the high- and low-LAR groups (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.97-3.30, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The LAR is an independent predictor of short-term mortality in hypertensive patients with AF. As a practical and easily applicable biomarker, the LAR holds significant potential for early risk stratification and tailored management in this high-risk population. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating LAR into clinical practice to optimize patient outcomes in critical care settings.

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Cite This Study

Wu et al. (2025) conducted a cohort in Hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation (n=1,087). Lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) vs. Low LAR was evaluated on 28-day mortality (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06, p=<0.05). An elevated lactate-to-albumin ratio was independently associated with increased 28-day mortality in critically ill hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation (HR 1.03).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1f7772b24abb7dd47ec31dhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-03170-6
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