Lactate–Albumin Ratio Tied to TBI Mortality - Summary - MDSpire
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Lactate–Albumin Ratio Tied to TBI Mortality

Admission biomarker showed prognostic value alongside clinical scoring systems in pediatric intensive care

  • By

  • Kathryn Wighton

  • April 17, 2026

  • 3 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the association of lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) with mortality in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • Overall mortality rate was 9%.
    • Non-survivors had significantly higher PRISM III scores (30 vs 3) and lower pGCS scores (3 vs 14).
    • Non-survivors exhibited higher lactate levels (9.2 vs 2.5 mmol/L) and lower albumin levels (2.6 vs 4.0 g/dL).
    • LAR values were significantly higher in non-survivors (4.09 vs 0.65).
    • LAR demonstrated an AUC of 0.854, with a cutoff >0.68 indicating 89% sensitivity and 78% specificity.
    Interpretation:

    LAR at admission, alongside pGCS, is a valuable predictor of mortality in pediatric TBI patients.

    Limitations:
    • Single-center, retrospective design may limit generalizability.
    • Small number of non-survivors could affect statistical power.
    • Variability in timing of blood sampling post-injury.
    Conclusion:

    This study is the first to evaluate LAR as a prognostic marker in pediatric TBI, highlighting its potential role in predicting mortality.

    Sources:

Original Source(s)

Lactate–Albumin Ratio Tied to TBI Mortality

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • April 17, 2026

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