Comparison of albumin versus bicarbonate treatment for neonatal metabolic acidosis.

In this study the effectiveness of 4.5% human albumin was compared with 4.2% sodium bicarbonate for neonatal metabolic acidosis, using a randomised controlled trial. The change in median pH following bicarbonate was more than twice that in the albumin group. This was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In normotensive infants, use of bicarbonate to correct metabolic acidosis may be more effective than use of albumin.