1
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI, USA
2
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI, USA
Abstract
Lactic acidosis is commonly encountered in critical care and can be a harbinger of life-threatening conditions and end-organ ischemia. Importantly, however, other etiologies of lactic acidosis exist. We review the first case of methylprednisolone-induced lactic acidosis in a previously healthy patient who suffered from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). A 19-year-old female presented to a level 1 trauma center after a fall resulted in lower extremity paralysis. After imaging revealed a chance fracture dislocation of T7-8 along with spinal cord compromise and swelling, the patient underwent emergent T5-T11 instrumented fusion. Postoperatively, she was given high-dose methylprednisolone in hopes of improving neurologic outcome; soon after administration, she developed lactic acidosis. After workup ruled out hypoperfusion and type A lactic acidosis, we determined that methylprednisolone likely induced non-ischemic, type B, lactic acidosis. The lactate quickly returned to baseline after steroid discontinuation. It is important for clinicians to consider type B lactic acidosis in the ICU in patients with persistent lactic acidosis after tissue hypoperfusion has been ruled out.
Saenz,S. , Bhatti,A. , Beck,A. and Long,M. T. (2024). Methylprednisolone-Induced Hyperlactatemia: A Case Report. TANAFFOS (Respiration), 23(4), 409-412.
MLA
Saenz,S. , , Bhatti,A. , , Beck,A. , and Long,M. T. . "Methylprednisolone-Induced Hyperlactatemia: A Case Report", TANAFFOS (Respiration), 23, 4, 2024, 409-412.
HARVARD
Saenz S., Bhatti A., Beck A., Long M. T. (2024). 'Methylprednisolone-Induced Hyperlactatemia: A Case Report', TANAFFOS (Respiration), 23(4), pp. 409-412.
CHICAGO
S. Saenz, A. Bhatti, A. Beck and M. T. Long, "Methylprednisolone-Induced Hyperlactatemia: A Case Report," TANAFFOS (Respiration), 23 4 (2024): 409-412,
VANCOUVER
Saenz S., Bhatti A., Beck A., Long M. T. Methylprednisolone-Induced Hyperlactatemia: A Case Report. TANAFFOS (Respiration), 2024; 23(4): 409-412.