Rapid lactate determination with an electrochemical enzymatic sensor: clinical usability and comparative measurements.

Lactate measurements can be performed within 2-3 minutes after blood withdrawal from the patients by using an electrochemical enzymatic sensor for lactate. The values obtained reflect the actual state of the patient which is not the case with the slow classical method using lactate dehydrogenase and NAD. The sensor is reproducible and the influence of the main reducing substances found in the blood is small enough to be of no clinical significance. Drugs commonly used in intensive care stations have no influence on the sensor. In vitro lactate production of the blood cells has been studied under various conditions. 66 pairs of comparative measurements between the classical method and the lactate sensor resulted in a good correlation coefficient.