Lactated Ringer's Solution versus Hydroxyethyl Starch for Volume Replacement in Autologous Blood Donors with Cardiovascular Disease: A Controlled, Randomized Trial

Background and Objectives: The study was designed to evaluate whether volume replacement following blood donation can prevent arterial hypotension in autologous blood donors with cardiovascular disease. Materials and Methods: One hundred nineteen autologous blood donors with known cardiovascular disease were randomly allocated to receive, following withdrawal of 500 ml of blood, either no infusion (control group) or a 25 ml/min intravenous infusion of either 1,500 ml of lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) or 500 ml of 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES). Starting before phlebotomy, arterial blood pressure was measured oscillometrically every 5 min until 90 min after donation. Results: Group means showed little difference between the groups in blood pressure throughout the monitoring period. The proportion of patients who at least once had a ≥20% decrease from baseline in systolic blood pressure was 3–5 times greater in the control group than in the LRS and the HES group (50 vs. 10 and 15%, respectively; p < 0.001 on χ² analysis for a 2 × 3 table). Systolic hypertensive episodes (≥ 20% increase over baseline) were observed more frequently in the LRS group than in the control and the HES group (41 vs. 10 and 18%, respectively; p=0.003). Conclusion: Both LRS and HES, administered at a volume ratio to blood loss of 3:1 and 1:1, respectively, significantly reduced the incidence of systolic hypotensive episodes in autologous blood donors with cardiovascular disease. LRS at a 3:1 volume ratio to blood loss was associated with a high rate of systolic hypertension.