Action of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on the activity of plasmatic clotting factors

Studies were carried out on the effects of different doses of hydroxyethyl starch 200/0.5 (HES) on plasma clotting factors in dogs, as an animal model for the human clotting system. In 8 German shepherd dogs 15% of the total blood was isovolemically substituted either by Ringer's solution with lactate alone (controls) or with 0.6, 1.3, 1.9, 2.5 g HES/kg b.w. Immediately after the infusion, the HES concentration in the recipients' plasma amounted to 8 mg/ml up to 38 mg/ml. In the following 6 h, the HES decreased to 25% in each case. It was found that the higher the plasma HES content was, the lower the haematocrit. Neither the thrombin-nor the batroxobin-time showed any significant change, irrespective of the plasma HES concentration. The prothrombin-time was decreased directly after the infusion in parallel to the haematocrit. The single clotting factors FI, FII, FV, FVII, FVIII, FX, and FXII behaved approximately in the same way: their activities directly after infusion, but also 6 h later, were lowered in proportion to the amount of HES infused. The loss of factor activity correlated with the volume-expanding effect of HES shortly after the infusion, but not 6 h later. It is concluded that there are two different modes of HES action on clotting factors: the dilution by plasma volume expansion and a non-dilutional action. Cautious handling might be required in patients with clotting disturbances as well as in long-term treatment.