Intravenous Hydroxocobalamin Versus Hextend Versus Control for Class III Hemorrhage Resuscitation in a Prehospital Swine Model.

Background: Hydroxyethyl starch (Hextend) has been used for hemorrhagic shock resuscitation, however, hydroxyethyl starch may be associated with adverse outcomes.

Objective: To compare systolic blood pressure (sBP) in animals that had 30% of their blood volume removed and treated with intravenous hydroxocobalamin, hydroxyethyl starch, or no fluid.

Methods: Twenty-eight swine (45-55 kg) were anesthetized and instrumented with continuous femoral and pulmonary artery pressure monitoring. Animals were hemorrhaged 20 mL/kg over 20 minutes and then administered 150 mg/kg IV hydroxocobalamin in 180 mL saline, 500 mL hydroxyethyl starch, or no fluid and monitored for 60 minutes. Data were modeled using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance.

Results: There were no significant differences before treatment. At 20 minutes after hemorrhage, there was no significant difference in mean sBP between treated groups, however, control animals displayed significantly lower mean sBP (p < 0.001). Mean arterial pressure and heart rate improved in the treated groups but not in the control group (p < 0.02). Prothrombin time was longer and platelet counts were lower in the Hextend group (p < 0.05). Moreover, thromboelastography analysis showed longer clotting (K) times (p < 0.05) for the hydroxyethyl starch-treated group.

Conclusion: Hydroxocobalamin restored blood pressure more effectively than no treatment and as effectively as hydroxyethyl starch but did not adversely affect coagulation.