Annals of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of crystalloid infusion on hematocrit in nonbleeding patients, with applications to clinical traumatology.
A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the change in hematocrit produced by infusion of crystalloid solution. Twenty healthy, nonbleeding subjects were randomized into two groups. Each group had an initial, baseline hematocrit. ⋯ The second infusion produced no further significant change in either group. There was no difference in the magnitude of the change between the two groups. The study demonstrates that a significant drop in hematocrit may be expected in nonbleeding patients who receive crystalloid infusions during trauma evaluation protocols.