[Evaluation of colloidal volume replacement solution 6% HES 40/0.5]

We studied the effect of a 6% hydroxyethyl starch 40/0.5-solution on circulating blood volume, blood composition, blood pressure and urine excretion in 20 healthy volunteers, suffering from moderate hypovolemia. In 10 cases we controlled by the Anthron method: Hydroxyethyl starch in serum and hydroxyethyl starch in urine. The hypovolemia was managed by collecting 400 ml blood from each volunteer. Afterwards 500 ml of the test solution were infused within 15 min. We measured the control parameters before and after the collection of 500 ml blood as well as 5, 90 and 240 min after the infusion of the test solution. At 5, 90 and 240 min after infusion time of the test solution the intravascular volume effect was reported at 71%, 103%, and 91% of the infused amount. After the infusion the systolic and diastolic pressure remained unchanged, while a decrease in pulse rate, a slight increase of glucose concentration in both urine and serum were reported. Decreases in values after the infusion were registered according to the dilution of blood for: serum protein concentration, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocytes, hematocrit. During the entire observation period osmolarity and colloid osmotic pressure in serum underwent no demonstrable changes. An increase in urine excretion was observed in the sense of an osmotic diuresis after the infusion. The calculated value of the rest fraction (the portion of the infused amount of hydroxyethyl starch, which was neither excreted in urine nor found in serum) was less than 2% of the infused substance, 240 minutes after the infusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)