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. 2014 Nov 10:349:g5981.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.g5981.

Concerns over use of hydroxyethyl starch solutions

Christiane S Hartog  1 , Charles Natanson  2 , Junfeng Sun  2 , Harvey G Klein  3 , Konrad Reinhart  4
Affiliations

Concerns over use of hydroxyethyl starch solutions

Christiane S Hartog et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Large trials have shown that hydroxyethyl starch increases the risk of death, kidney injury, and bleeding. However, an EMA review last year permitted continued use in some patients, overturning an earlier decision to withdraw the product completely. Christiane Hartog and colleagues discuss the evidence and call on doctors to avoid using starch formulations

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: We have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and declare that KR is unpaid chairman of the Global Sepsis Alliance, which is sponsored by B Braun and CSL Behring. The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.

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