Rational use of albumin and plasma substitutes

Salt-poor human albumin (25 g/dl) is a safe and effective colloid for increasing intravascular volume. It is usually given together with saline solutions at a final concentration of 5 g albumin per 100 ml infusion volume. Although relatively nontoxic, albumin costs about $120 per liter, more than ten times the cost of artificial macromolecular colloids used as "plasma substitutes". Hydroxyethyl starch (6 g/dl NaCl) is a new polysaccharide volemic colloid similar in effect to dextran-70; 70% of an infused volume remains intravascular at 3 hours and 30% at 24 hours. It is nonallergenic, causes no anaphylactoid reactions, and interferes with coagulation less than dextran-70 or dextran-40. Bleeding may be observed when doses of more than 1500 ml are given without blood replacement, especially in thrombocytopenic patients. The effects of dextran-70 and dextran-40 on inhibiting thrombogenesis and facilitating blood flow in small vessels are due largely to hemodilution; the relative efficacy of hydroxyethyl starch for these purposes has not yet been established. Hydroxyethyl starch is a safe and effective colloidal solution for replacement of lost blood and augmentation of blood volume.