Table 4.

Comparison between 43 and 14 sample protocols

	N = 43	N = 14	p
AUCtot [% × min]	130 ± 55	132 ± 57	0.054
AUCextrap [% × min]	10.0 ± 6.0	10.3 ± 7.2	0.538
λz 70 [min−1]	− 0.015 ± 0.006	− 0.015 ± 0.006	0.748
Ra [μmol/kg/min]	15.8 (8.5–44.2)	15.8 (8.3–44.2)	0.404

Mean ± SD or median (range) for all subjects (healthy volunteers and ICU patients). Differences between protocols are analyzed by paired t test or Wilcoxon test for nonparametric data. AUC_tot area under the curve, AUC_extrap the part of AUC that is beyond the last measurement point, λz 70 terminal slope as calculated from t = 70 min, R_a rate of appearance of lactate. Details of the pharmacokinetic non-compartmental modeling are presented in Additional file 1