Objective: To evaluate the effects of dobutamine on peripheral and hepatic tissue oxygen tensions during the treatment of haemorrhagic shock.
Design: Randomised, controlled trial.
Setting: University hospital, Finland.
Subjects: 12 Piglets, weight 20 kg.
Interventions: Haemorrhagic shock (40% of blood volume removed) and resuscitation with crystalloid solution. Dobutamine infused (6.5 micrograms/kg/min) during resuscitation in 6 animals and 6 served as controls.
Main outcome measures: Haemodynamic and systemic oxygen transport variables. Hepatic, subcutaneous, transcutaneous, and conjunctival oxygen tensions measured continuously with polarographic electrodes.
Results: All values decreased significantly during bleeding. Resuscitation restored the mean arterial pressure in both groups, and cardiac output exceeded the baseline by 24% in the dobutamine group (p < 0.05 compared with control). There was no difference in oxygen delivery and consequently tissue oxygen tensions remained at the control level in the dobutamine group.
Conclusions: Dobutamine infusion did not improve tissue oxygenation when used in addition to crystalloids to treat hypovolaemic shock.