Further evaluation of the effects of 7.5% sodium chloride/6% Dextran-70 (HSD) administration on coagulation and platelet aggregation in hemorrhaged and euvolemic swine.

In previous studies, we determined that incubation of high concentrations of the 7.5% saline (HS) component of HSD with human blood, in vitro, significantly prolonged prothrombin time (PT), and reduced platelet aggregation. Considering the rapid plasma volume expansion following HSD infusion, the present study tested the hypothesis that any HS-induced effects on coagulation would have no clinical significance when HSD was infused for the treatment of hemorrhagic hypotension. Conscious, splenectomized pigs, either euvolemic (n = 11) or bled 27 ml/kg over 60 min (n = 9), were treated with the proposed therapeutic dose of 4 ml/kg HSD. Blood samples were withdrawn prior to and at the end of the hemorrhage and 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hr following HSD infusion, and PT, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and platelet aggregation were determined. HSD did not significantly affect PT, APTT, or platelet aggregation in either group of swine at any time measured. In other studies, HSD did not prolong bleeding times after 1 or 2 hr in euvolemic pigs. These data further support the premise that a single dose of HSD for the prehospital treatment of hemorrhagic hypotension will not adversely affect blood coagulation.