The effect of goal-directed crystalloid versus colloid administration on postoperative spirometry parameters: a substudy of a randomized controlled clinical trial

Pulmonary function is impaired after major abdominal surgery and might be less impaired by restrictive fluid administration. Under the assumption of a fluid-sparing effect of colloids, we tested the hypothesis that an intraoperative colloid-based goal-directed fluid management strategy impairs postoperative pulmonary function parameters less compared to goal-directed crystalloid administration. We performed a preplanned, single-center substudy within a recently published trial evaluating the effect of goal-directed crystalloids versus colloids on a composite of major complications. Sixty patients undergoing major open abdominal surgery were randomized to Doppler-guided intraoperative fluid replacement therapy with lactated Ringer’s solution (n = 31) or unbalanced 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (n = 29). A blinded investigator performed bedside spirometry (Spirobank-G, Medical International Research, Rome, Italy) preoperatively as well as 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Median total intraoperative fluid requirements were significantly higher during crystalloid administration compared to patients receiving colloids (4567 ml vs. 3044 ml, p = 0.01). Six hours after surgery, pulmonary function parameters did not differ significantly between the crystalloid — and the colloid group: forced vital capacity (FVC): 1.6 l (1.2–2 l) vs. 1.9 l (1.5–2.4 l), p = 0.15; forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1): 1.1 l (0.9–1.6 l) vs. 1.4 l (1.2–1.7 l), p = 0.18; and peak expiratory flow (PEF): 2 l.sec−1 (1.5 – 3.6 l.sec −1) vs. 2.3 l.sec −1 (1.8 – 3.4 l.sec −1), p = 0.23. Moreover, postoperative longitudinal time × group interactions of FVC, FEV1, and PEF between 6 and 48 postoperative hours did not differ significantly. Postoperative pulmonary function parameters were similarly impaired in patients receiving goal-directed crystalloid administration as compared to goal-directed colloid administration during open abdominal surgery. ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT00517127 , registered on August 16, 2007) and EudraCT (2005-004602-86).