A Comparison of Dextran, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, and Isotonic Saline Infusion in the Human

Dextran or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was administered to 24 normal subjects. Dextran or isotonic saline was administered to 14 subjects following venesection. The effects of venesection only were studied in an additional 10 subjects. Dextran and PVP remain in appreciable quantities in the circulation for 72 hr. and are much superior to saline in the maintenance of blood dilution following venesection. Systemic allergic reactions occurred in 6 of 19 subjects that received dextran and in none of 12 that received PVP. As considerable discrepancy was found between hematocrit and plasma protein dilution following modest hemorrhage, it is problematic which if either of these two elements should be used as an index of changes in plasma volume.