Previous studies have shown that
diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin (
DCLHb, 10 g/dL) decreases
cerebral ischemia and the resultant injury in a dose-dependent manner, requiring large volumes of
DCLHb for maximum efficacy. We assessed the effect of a more concentrated (20 g/dL) and more hyperoncotic preparation of
DCLHb on
cerebral infarction volume. Immediately after
middle cerebral artery occlusion, rats were randomized to one of the following groups: Control, hematocrit not manipulated; 10/Hb, hematocrit decreased to 30% with 10%
DCLHb (oncotic pressure 43 mm Hg); 7.5/Alb, hematocrit decreased to 30% with 7.5%
albumin (oncotic pressure 43 mm Hg); 20/Hb, the same dose of
DCLHb (20%, oncotic pressure 129 mm Hg) as the 10/HB group (half the volume); or 15/Alb, the same dose of
albumin (15%, oncotic pressure 130 mm Hg) as the 7.5/Alb group half the volume). After 90 min of
ischemia, 72 h of reperfusion was allowed.
Infarction volume (mm3, mean +/- sd) was less in the
DCLHb groups (10/Hb = 79 +/- 17; 20/HB = 51 +/- 14) than the oncotically matched
albumin groups (7.5/Alb = 124 +/- 21; 15/Alb = 85 +/- 18) and the Control group (135 +/- 17) (P < 0.05). These data indicate that in this model of
cerebral ischemia,
DCLHb decreases ischemic
brain injury more effectively than
albumin, and that a hyperoncotic preparation of
DCLHb is preferable.