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Published on: June 8, 2022
Hydroxyethyl starch inhibits endothelium-derived relaxation in porcine coronary arteries
Oguzhan Dagtekin1, Henning Krep, Jürgen Hartmut Fischer
1Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. oguzhan.dagtekin@uk-koeln.de
Objective:
Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) solutions are widely used for fluid resuscitation. We studied the effects of HES on endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR), especially on the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF).
Methods:
Four-millimeter-long rings of fresh porcine coronary arteries from the local slaughterhouse were consecutively tested with or without HES (6 mg/ml). Indomethacin (10 micromol/l) was added in all measurements to eliminate prostacyclin effects. Prostaglandin F2alpha (10 micromol/l) was used for contraction and bradykinin (10(-10) to 10(-5) mol/l) for inducing EDR, which was calculated in percentage of the precontraction. After blocking all nitric oxide formation by N-nitro-L-arginine (300 micromol/l), the experiments were repeated to assess the EDHF-mediated relaxation response to bradykinin.
Results:
HES 6 mg/ml induced a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in EDR (n = 8). After incubation with HES and nitric oxide blockage with N-nitro-L-arginine, the relaxation response was reduced especially for the bradykinin concentrations of 10(-6) mol/l (p < 0.05) and 10(-5) mol/l (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
For the clinically relevant concentration of 6 mg/ml HES, a significant reduction in EDR and the EDHF can be found in epicardial coronary arteries of the pig.

