Adverse effects of hydroxyethyl starch (HES 130/0.4) on intestinal barrier integrity and metabolic function are abrogated by supplementation with Albumin

Background Volume resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is controversially discussed and we recently showed that HES perfusion impairs endothelial and epithelial intestinal barrier integrity. Here we investigated whether Albumin containing HES solutions are superior to HES alone in maintaining intestinal barrier function.