Using pCO2 Gap in the Differential Diagnosis of Hyperlactatemia Outside the Context of Sepsis: A Physiological Review and Case Series.

Physiological rationale and a small case series are consistent with the hypothesis that low pCO2 gap in nonseptic critically ill is suggestive of the absence of tissue hypoperfusion, mandating the search for the cause of type B lactic acidosis rather than administration of fluids or other drugs aimed at increasing cardiac output.