The utility of point of care serum lactate in predicting serious adverse outcomes among critically ill adult patients at urban emergency departments of tertiary hospitals in Tanzania.

The utility of lactate level in predicting mortality was similar to that seen in high-resource settings. A serum lactate level of 33.8 mmol/L predicted 24-h serious adverse events in unselected patients seen in the high-acuity area of our ED. Incorporating serum lactate level in ED in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can help identify patients at risk of developing serious adverse events.