Hypertonic saline solutions (HSS) have several characteristics that may improve the survival of patients during the initial treatment of certain types of shock. The use of isotonic crystalloids for resuscitation has several limitations: large infusion volumes are needed to increase the intravascular space; these large volumes cannot be given rapidly; and the fluid rapidly redistributes througho...

Mannitol is used as an indirect challenge test to assess airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic adults and children as young as 4 years old [1–4]. Recently, it has been tested with success in adults as a sputum inducer [5, 6]. In children, induced sputum is usually obtained by hypertonic saline solution (HSS) and has several indications, such as sample obtaining in infectious diseases [7], mon...

Commercial 0.9% saline solution for infusion has a pH around 5.5. There are many reasons for this acidity, some of them still obscure. It is also true that infusion of normal saline can lead to metabolic acidaemia, yet the link between the acidity of saline solution and the acidaemia it can engender is not straightforward. This commentary draws together the known and putative sources of acidity...

OBJECTIVE Volume replacement in septic patients improves hemodynamic stability. This effect can reduce the inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 7.5% hypertonic saline solution versus 0.9% normal saline solution for volume replacement during an inflammatory response in endotoxemic rats. METHODS We measured cytokines (serum and gut), nitrite, and lipi...