Does the type of volume therapy influence endothelial-related coagulation in the critically ill?

The endothelium plays an important role in the regulation of haemostasis by producing substances such as thrombomodulin (TM). The influence of long-term volume replacement with different types of fluid on the TM-protein C-protein S system was investigated in a prospective, randomized study. Thirty trauma patients and 30 patients suffering from sepsis after major surgery received either 10% low-molecular weight (LMW) hydroxyethylstarch solution (HES-trauma, n = 15; HES-sepsis, n = 15) or 20% human albumin (HA-trauma, n = 15; HA-sepsis, n = 15) for 5 days to maintain central venous pressure (CVP) between 12 and 16 mm Hg. Plasma concentrations of TM, protein C, (free) protein S and thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) were measured in arterial blood samples obtained on the day of admission to the intensive care unit or on the day of diagnosis of sepsis and over the next 5 days. There were no differences between HA- and HES-treated trauma patients. Protein C and protein S also did not differ between HA- and HES-treatments. At baseline, TM plasma concentrations were increased to > 40 micrograms litre-1 in both sepsis groups only. In the HA-sepsis group, TM increased significantly (from 48.1 (SD 13.9) to 68.4 (13.0) micrograms litre-1), whereas it remained almost unchanged in the HES-sepsis group. In HES-sepsis patients, protein C (from 51.0 (10.1) to 71.9 (8.9)%) and protein S (from 19.0 (6.0) to 40.8 (11.4)%) increased significantly during the study, whereas both remained reduced in HA-patients. TAT (indicating intravascular coagulation) did not differ between the two fluid groups. We conclude that in trauma patients, the type of volume therapy had no influence on the TM-protein C-protein S system. In sepsis patients, volume therapy with HES was beneficial, whereas infusion of HA had no substantial positive effect on endothelial-associated coagulation.