Abstract
Controversy surrounds the use of colloid infusions in sick, premature infants in need of circulatory support. We set out to determine the oncotic and cardiovascular effects of a standardised human albumin infusion (1.2G/Kg over 2 hours) in 12 premature infants on 18 occasions when hypovolaemia was suspected on clinical grounds.
Blood volume (BV) was increased by a mean of 13.6% by the end of infusion but showed a wide variation. BV fell thereafter, reaching baseline values from 2 hours after infusion. Albumin concentration and colloid osmotic pressure rose pari passu and remained raised even when BV had returned to preinfusion values.
Blood pressure (BP) rose in 3 cases only and heart rate (HR) fell where the preinfusion HR exceeded the mean for the group. BP variability (measured as the c.v% over 20 cardiac cycles) fell even when muscle paralysing agents were in use.
We conclude the albumin has a useful, though variable effect on increasing BV and that acute volume expansion can temporarily stabilise blood pressure fluctuations.
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Bignall, S., Rivers, R. CARDIOVASCULAR AND ONCOTIC EFFECTS OF ALBUMIN INFUSION IN PREMATURE INFANTS. Pediatr Res 22, 220 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00039
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00039