Serum anion gap predicts lactate poorly, but may be used to identify sepsis patients at risk for death: A cohort study

Anion gap and serum bicarbonate poorly predict changes in lactate and mortality. In resource-limited settings where lactate is unavailable, anion gap ≥ 20 mEq/L may be used to further risk-stratify patients for ongoing sepsis care, but lactate remains a preferred biomarker.