Debate on HES safety is important, but must be based on facts
Sammanfattning
The Scandinavian Starch for Severe Sepsis / Septic Shock (6S) trial showed that hydroxyethyl
starch was harmful compared to Ringer's acetate in patients with severe sepsis when used according
to clinical practice and in alignment with the recommendations by the manufactures and authorities.
The different interpretation by Chapell and Jacob's rely on misreading of the trial publication and is
not supported by the trial data. Several hypotheses may be made regarding less harmful ways of
using HES in critically ill patients, but clinicians, guideline committee members and authorities need
to acknowledge that such safer ways have not yet been identified.