Metabolism of Isotonic Versus Hypotonic Maintenance Solutions in Fasting Healthy Adults

Summary

The prescription of intravenous maintenance solutions - although widespread - lacks important data on the optimal sodium and potassium content, which has given rise to an important debate in the scientific literature. Our study compares two different infusion fluids in 12 healthy adult volunteers without renal failure in a single-blind randomized crossover design over two 48 hour periods during which subjects are not allowed to eat or drink. Fluid 1 is a premixed solution containing 54 mmol/L of sodium and 26 mmol/L of potassium; fluid 2 is sodium chloride 0.9% in glucose 5% with 40 mmol/L of potassium. Both solutions are administered at 25 mL/kg of ideal body weight, as recommended by current guidelines (NICE 174) and both solutions are widely used in daily clinical practice. The primary hypothesis is that isotonic maintenance solutions lead to more fluid retention than hypotonic fluids. Metabolism of both solutions is assessed by sequential analysis of urine and serum, clinical parameters and bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Timeline

Start

2016-06

Primary completion

2016-08

Completion

2016-08

Publications

• Background Lobo DN, Bostock KA, Neal KR, Perkins AC, Rowlands BJ, Allison SP. Effect of salt and water balance on recovery of gastrointestinal function after elective colonic resection: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2002 May 25;359(9320):1812-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(02)08711-1.
• Background Moritz ML, Ayus JC. Maintenance Intravenous Fluids in Acutely Ill Patients. N Engl J Med. 2015 Oct;373(14):1350-60. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1412877. No abstract available.
• Van Regenmortel N, De Weerdt T, Van Craenenbroeck AH, Roelant E, Verbrugghe W, Dams K, Malbrain MLNG, Van den Wyngaert T, Jorens PG. Effect of isotonic versus hypotonic maintenance fluid therapy on urine output, fluid balance, and electrolyte homeostasis: a crossover study in fasting adult volunteers. Br J Anaesth. 2017 Jun 1;118(6):892-900. doi: 10.1093/bja/aex118.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.