The effect of isovolaemic haemodilution on infection-related serum protein levels.

Approximately 25% of blood was replaced by either hydroxyethyl starch (mol. wt 450,000), dextran (mol. wt 60,000), or 5% plasma protein solution, 24 h prior to a surgical intervention. Twenty-four adult patients were studied and haematocrit, total protein, plasma albumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, IgG, IgM, antithrombin III, fibronectin and alpha-2-macroglobulin were determined. The resulting blood concentrations suggest that the various replacement solutions exert only a dilutional effect upon the proteins studied. Furthermore, there is no difference regarding the course of the various infection-related proteins whether plasma protein solution or synthetic colloids are used for blood replacement. The decrease of the studied proteins during the study period does not exceed 35% of the control value. This is not considered to be a clinically significant reduction and levels of infection-related proteins were not dangerously low.