Abstract
The use of pectin as a blood substitute in the treatment of patients in shock has been proposed. 1 Since the rationale for the administration of pectin is to increase the plasma volume, information regarding the effect of this material upon the plasma volume is desirable. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the influence of the intravenous injection of a 0.75% solution of pectin† upon the plasma volume, and to compare the results with similar observations following the intravenous injection of physiologic saline.
Nine male patients, who were normal with respect to the cardiovascular system were studied. The plasma volume was determined by the method of Gibson and Evans 2 as modified by Gibson and Evelyn 3 using “Evans Blue” dye (T-1824). In 5 patients after the initial determinations were made, pectin solution was injected intravenously at a rate of 10 cc per minute. In 2 patients dye was reinjected and the plasma volume was redetermined immediately upon completion of the pectin infusion. In 3 patients the second plasma volume determination was made 4 hours after the end of the pectin infusion. In all cases a final determination was made at the end of 24 hours. Similar determinations at corresponding time intervals were made in 4 patients following the intravenous injection of 1000 cc of physiologic saline.
Results. Table I shows the results obtained following the injection of an average of 690 cc of pectin in 5 patients as compared with the results in 4 patients each of whom received an intravenous injection of 1000 cc of physiologic saline. In the first 2 cases the plasma volume immediately following the injection of pectin was increased by an amount corresponding to the volume of pectin solution injected.
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