USE OF BASE DEFICIT TO COMPARE RESUSCITATION WITH LACTATED RINGERS SOLUTION, HAEMACCEL, WHOLE-BLOOD, AND DIASPIRIN CROSS-LINKED HEMOGLOBIN FOLLOWING HEMORRHAGE IN RATS

Base deficit (BD) has been shown to be a sensitive measure of the degr ee and duration of inadequate perfusion. We developed a rat model of h emorrhagic shock based on achieving a fixed BD of 13 +/- 1 mmol/L befo re resuscitation. Using this model, we compared the efficacy of resusc itation with lactated Ringer's solution (LR), Haemaccel (a colloid), a nd whole blood with that of diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin (DCLHb, Baxter Healthcare Corp.) by evaluating improvements in BD and restorat ion of base excess (BE, positive correlate of BD) for 60 minutes follo wing resuscitation. The DCLHb was superior to LR and Haemaccel in rest oring and maintaining BE following resuscitation, and was able to rest ore BE as rapidly as whole blood at half the volume. At 60 minutes, DC LHb at twice the shed blood volume maintained BE at higher (more posit ive) values compared with all other treatment groups. We conclude that DCLHb is at least as effective as whole blood and superior to LR and Haemaccel in restoring BE within the first 60 minutes following resusc itation in this hemorrhagic shock model.