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Updated: May 9, 2026

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Published on: September 7, 2018
Effect of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and 200/0.5 solutions on canine platelet function in vitro
Duana McBride1, Giselle L Hosgood, Caroline S Mansfield
1School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Australia. dmcbride@rvc.ac.uk
Objective:
To determine whether dilution of blood samples from healthy dogs with 2 hydroxyethyl starch (HES) solutions, HES 130/0.4 and HES 200/0.5, would result in platelet dysfunction as measured by closure time (Ct) beyond a dilutional effect.
Sample:
Citrated blood samples from 10 healthy dogs with a Ct within reference limits (52 to 86 seconds).
Procedures:
Blood samples were diluted 1:9 and 1:3 with 6% HES 130/0.4 and 10% HES 200/0.5 solutions and saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Dilutions at 1:9 and 1:3 mimicked 10 mL/kg and 30 mL/kg doses, respectively, ignoring in vivo redistribution. Closure time was measured with a platelet function analyzer and compared among dilutions.
Results:
A dilutional effect on Ct was evident for the 1:3 dilution, compared with the 1:9 dilution, but only HES 200/0.5 increased the Ct beyond the dilutional effect at the 1:3 dilution, to a median Ct of 125 seconds (interquartile range, 117.5 to 139.5 seconds). No effect of HES or dilution on Ct was identified at the 1:9 dilution.
Conclusions And Clinical Relevance:
1:3 dilution of blood samples from healthy dogs with HES 200/0.5 but not HES 130/0.4 significantly increased Ct beyond the dilutional effect, suggesting that IV administration of HES 200/0.5 in dogs might cause platelet dysfunction.
