Base deficit, age, injury mechanism, and head injury were associated with mortality using logistic regression. Age less than 55 years, no head injury, and a base deficit of -15 mmol/L were associated with 25% mortality.
The higher the serum lactate, the worse the degree of shock and the higher the mortality. Lactate levels higher than 4 mmol/L in patients with suspected infection have been shown to yield a 5-fold increase in the risk of death and are associated with a mortality approaching 30%