The early diagnostic and prognostic values of blood lactate concentrations in Japanese monkeys with acute gastric dilatation

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations in Japanese monkeys. On the basis of these results, I investigated whether measurement of blood lactate concentrations in ill animals with acute gastric dilatation was useful in identifying an earlier diagnosis and prognosis. Blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations were determined in 43 Japanese monkeys. Using a portable lactate analyzer, blood lactate concentrations in 4 ill animals were examined at the on set of acute gastric dilatation and after the recovery from this disease. The present results revealed that blood lactate concentrations linearly correlated with pyruvate concentrations in Japanese monkeys: y=0.7214+0.0142x, r=0.7813 (P<0.01). At the onset of acute gastric dilatation, the monkeys showed high lactate concentrations. Blood lactate levels in these ill animals remained elevated under uneventful circumstances. After emergency treatment, their lactate concentrations apparently decreased to the reference range (P<0.05). It was probable that persistent mechanical compression by the expanded stomach on the portal vein and/or caudal vena cava obstructed the blood flow, resulting in persistent hyperlactic acidemia from anaerobic metabolism. I concluded that blood lactate concentrations could serve as a reliable diagnostic predictor of clinical outcome in Japanese monkeys suffering from acute gastric dilatation. Monkeys with remarkable post-treatment decreases in blood lactate concentrations showed an excellent improvement in survival.