THE EFFECT OF HYDROXYETHYL STARCH AND OTHER PLASMA-VOLUME SUBSTITUTESON ENDOTHELIAL-CELL ACTIVATION - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Objective: To study the effect of medium molecular weight hydroxyethyl starches on endothelial cell and neutrophil activation in vitro. Sett ing: Laboratory analysis. Methods: The effects of albumin and hydroxye thyl starch on the neutrophil adhesion molecule (CD11bCD18), with and without liposaccharide stimulation, were studied in whole blood. E-sel ectin expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells was stimula ted with lipopolysaccharide alone and in the presence of either albumi n or hydroxyethyl starch. The effect of albumin and hydroxyethyl starc hes on rapid endothelial cell activation was studied using von Willebr and factor release as a marker. Measurements and results: Hydroxyethyl starches but not albumin inhibited stimulated VWF release in a dose d ependent manner. No effect was seen on endothelial E-selectin or neutr ophil CD11bCD18 expression. Conclusions: these results suggest a possi ble beneficial role of hydroxyethyl starches in the inhibition of endo thelial activation thus preventing neutrophil adhesion during sepsis s yndrome.