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The debate regarding colloid versus crystalloid resuscitation remains unsettled. Using data from the saline versus albumin fluid evaluation (SAFE) study, researchers assessed whether outcomes differ depending on patients’ baseline serum albumin concentrations. (The SAFE study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in 16 hospital intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand during 2001–2003.)
Of 6045 adult patients whose baseline albumin concentrations were available, 3014 received 4% albumin for resuscitation. Among the 40.5% of patients who had baseline serum albumin concentrations of 25 g/L or less, mortality rates at 28 days were 23.7% in the albumin group versus 26.2% in the saline group (odds ratio, 0.87). In the subgroup of p…