Acute haemodynamic effects of a hypertonic saline/dextran solution in stable patients with severe sepsis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the haemodynamic effects of a hypertonic saline/dextran solution compared with a normal saline solution in patients with severe sepsis.


METHODS
Prospective double blind and control-randomised study.


METHODS
Adult intensive care unit in a university hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients with sepsis with a pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) lower than 12 mmHg.


METHODS
Patients were randomised to receive 250 ml of blinded solutions of either normal saline (SS group, n=16) or hypertonic saline (NaCl 7.5%)/dextran 70 8% (HSS group, n=13) solutions.


RESULTS
Haemodynamic, blood gas, and sodium data were collected at the following time points: baseline, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min, and 180 min. PAOP was higher in the HSS group at 30 min (10.7+/-3.2 mmHg vs 6.8+/-3.2 mmHg) and 60 min (10.3+/-3 mmHg vs 7.4+/-2.9 mmHg); P<0.05. The cardiac index increased in the HSS group and it was greater than the SS group at 30 min (6.5+/-4.7 l min(-1) m(-2) vs 3.8+/-3.4 l min(-1) m(-2)), 60 min (4.9+/-4.5 l min(-1) m(-2) vs 3.7+/-3.3 l min(-1) m(-2)), and 120 min (5.0+/-4.3 l min(-1) m(-2) vs 4.1+/-3.4 l min(-1) m(-2)); P<0.05. The stroke volume index followed a comparable course and it was higher at 30 min [53.6(39.2-62.8) ml m(-2) vs 35.6(31.2-49.2) ml m(-2)] and 60 min [46.8(39.7-56.6) ml m(-2) vs 33.9(32.2-47.7) ml m(-2)]; P<0.05. Systemic vascular resistance decreased in the HSS group and became significantly lower at 30 min (824+/-277 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2) vs 1139+/-245 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2)), 60 min (921+/-256 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2) vs 1246+/-308 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2)), and 120 min (925+/-226 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2) vs 1269+/-494 dyne s(-1) cm(-5) m(-2)). Sodium levels increased in the HSS group (P=0.056) and were higher than in the SS group at 30 min (145+/-3 mEq l(-1)vs 137+/-7 mEq l(-1)), 60 min (143+/-4 mEq l(-1) vs 136+/-7 mEq l(-1)), 120 (142+/-5 mEq l(-1)vs 136+/-7 mEq l(-1)), and 180 min (142+/-5 mEq l(-1) vs 136+/-8 mEq l(-1)).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertonic saline/dextran solution may improve cardiovascular performance in severe sepsis without significant side effects. The haemodynamic effect appears related mainly to a volume effect.
Oliveira
R P
RP
Universidad Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Weingartner
R
R
Ribas
E O
EO
Moraes
R S
RS
Friedman
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D003911:Dextrans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003911:Dextrans; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic