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Does calcium cause the different effects of Gelofusine and Haemaccel on coagulation?
1Professor of Emergency Medicine, Leicester University, Leicester, UK. t.coats@virgin.net
Background:
Gelofusine (which does not contain calcium) has a greater effect on coagulation than Haemaccel (which contains 6.25 mmol/l of calcium). This in vitro study was performed to assess whether calcium might be the cause of the different effects on coagulation.
Methods:
Three solutions were compared; (a) Gelofusine, (b) Gelofusine with calcium added to 6.25 mmol/l, and (c) Haemaccel. Thromboelastography (Sonoclot) was used to examine whole blood coagulation, with time to peak clot weight as the primary outcome measure.
Results:
There was no significant difference between the Gelofusine containing solutions. Both Gelofusine solutions gave a greater impairment of coagulation than the Haemaccel solution.
Conclusions:
The different effect of Gelofusine on coagulation compared with Haemaccel does not seem to be related to the different calcium contents of the solutions.
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