Hypertonic versus near isotonic crystalloid for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients

Hypertonic solutions are considered to have a greater ability to expand blood volume and thus elevate blood pressure and can be administered as a small volume infusion over a short time period. On the other hand, the use of hypertonic solutions for volume replacement may also have important disadvantages.

To determine whether hypertonic crystalloid decreases mortality in patients with hypovolaemia.

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and the specialised register of the Cochrane Injuries Group. We checked reference lists of all articles identified and searched the National Research Register.

Randomised trials comparing hypertonic to isotonic and near isotonic crystalloid in patients with trauma, burns or undergoing surgery.

Two authors independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the trials.

Fourteen trials with a total of 956 participants are included in the meta-analysis. The pooled relative risk (RR) for death in trauma patients was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-1.04); in patients with burns 1.49 (95% CI 0.56-3.95); and in patients undergoing surgery 0.51 (95% CI 0.09, 2.73). In the one trial that gave data on disability using the Glasgow outcome scale, the relative risk for a poor outcome was 1.00 (95% CI 0.82, 1.22).

This review does not give us enough data to be able to say whether hypertonic crystalloid is better than isotonic and near isotonic crystalloid for the resuscitation of patients with trauma, burns, or those undergoing surgery. However, the confidence intervals are wide and do not exclude clinically significant differences. Further trials which clearly state the type and amount of fluid used and that are large enough to detect a clinically important difference are needed.