An improved blood substitute. In vivo evaluation of its hemodynamic effects.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the ability of an improved free hemoglobin based blood substitute to serve as a resuscitative fluid in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. Comparison studies were performed by using blood autotransfusion as a positive control. The hemodynamic parameters studied included cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, heart rate, stroke volume index, and total peripheral resistance. Tissue oxygenation was measured in the biceps femori muscle by polarography. Hemorrhagic shock (at 40% of the total blood volume) in anesthetized rats caused severe disturbances in hemodynamic parameters and tissue oxygenation. Shock was characterized by a 66% drop in cardiac index, a 67% drop in mean arterial pressure with a significant increase in total peripheral resistance, and a 78% reduction in tissue oxygenation, all lasting 30 min. Resuscitation from shock with the blood substitute was effective in restoring hemodynamic parameters, producing vasodilation, and improving tissue oxygenation. Autotransfusion with blood also restored hemodynamics. However, lower tissue oxygenation and lack of vasodilation were noted. Therefore, the modified hemoglobin solution yielded better results than blood in the resuscitation of rats after hemorrhagic shock. The vasodilatory activity and the reduction of vasoconstriction that followed hemorrhage can be primarily linked with adenosine, which possesses vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory properties, and is used in our technology as an intermolecular cross linking reagent and hemoglobin surface modifier.