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Do fat emulsions protect against infusion thrombophlebitis? An experimental study
Intensive Care Medicine
|July 1, 1978
Summary
Intralipid, a fat emulsion, did not protect veins from thrombophlebitis caused by amino acid solutions (Aminosol). Fat emulsions alone also induced significant vein inflammation in this study.
Area of Science:
- Vascular biology
- Histopathology
- Clinical pharmacology
Background:
- Infusion thrombophlebitis is a complication of intravenous therapy.
- Fat emulsions (Intralipid) are sometimes co-administered with amino acid solutions (Aminosol).
- Clinical observations suggested Intralipid might prevent thrombophlebitis from Aminosol.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally evaluate if Intralipid protects veins from thrombophlebitis induced by Aminosol.
- To assess the independent effect of Intralipid on venous inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative histological analysis of inflammatory changes in rabbit ear veins.
- Controlled blind study comparing Aminosol alone versus Aminosol plus Intralipid.
- Second series comparing Intralipid alone versus 0.9% NaCl.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in histological inflammatory changes was observed between Aminosol alone and Aminosol plus Intralipid.
- Intralipid administration alone resulted in considerable venous inflammatory changes.
Conclusions:
- Intralipid does not protect against infusion thrombophlebitis caused by Aminosol.
- Fat emulsions themselves can induce significant venous inflammation.