Hyperlactatemia Due to Linezolid Use: A Case Report

Lactate is a by-product of anaerobic respiration, and is cleared from blood by the liver and kidneys. Lactate levels greater than 2 mmol/L is defined as hyperlactatemia, and higher than 4 mmol/l with acidosis is defined as lactic acidosis. It is the most common cause of metabolic acidosis in hospitalized patients. Linezolid is an antibiotic in the oxazolidinone class that directly inhibits protein synthesis in the mitochondria of bacteria and may cause lactic acidosis, which may have a high mortality. In our article, we aimed to present a case who used linezolid for pneumonia and developed hyperlactatemia on the 12th day of treatment.