Albumin as Early Fluid Bolus Therapy after Cardiac Surgery in the Critical Care Units

Abstract

Fluid bolus therapy (FBT) is common for the optimization of cardiac output and the treatment of hypotension after cardiac surgery. Colloid solutions have been widely used for FBT as they are thought to provide a more sustained physiological response than a similar volume of crystalloid FBT, which may result in smaller volumes of resuscitation fluid being delivered. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of fluid bolus therapy using 20% albumin versus crystalloid on fluid balance, hemodynamic parameters, and intensive care unit (ICU) treatment effects in post–cardiac surgery patients. This was a Sequential period double blinded study that was conducted at Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ain Shams University Hospital over 6 months on post-cardiac surgery mechanically ventilated patients with a clinical decision to administer fluid bolus therapy.

The first 25 patients were treated with crystalloid fluid bolus therapy in the first period (control), and 25 patients with up to 2 treatments of 100 mL of 20% albumin fluid bolus therapy in the second period (intervention), followed by crystalloid therapy if needed.