An approach to determine objectively minimum hemoglobin standards for blood donors

Abstract

The minimum hemoglobin level for an individual to be accepted as a blood donor in North America is 13.5 g/dl for males and 12.5 g/dl for females. The present study was undertaken to determine the iron status of donors deferred because their hemoglobin did not meet present standards. This was done prospectively by measuring hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin on venous samples of blood. The majority of deferred donors, 85% of males and 83% of females, were found not to be iron deficient. In order to determine objectively minimum hemoglobin standards for blood donors that would include the maximum number of non iron deficient donors while excluding the majority with iron deficiency ROC curves were drawn. This approach demonstrates that minimum hemoglobin levels can be established objectively and from our data indicates that these levels are 12.5 g/dl for males and 12.0 g/dl for females.

Study of Various Hematological Parameters and Iron Status among Voluntary Blood Donors

“…The main reason is the fear of losing the donor in a time when the demand of blood is soaring all over the world and the donors are becoming scarce. 1 Chronic iron deficiency is a well-recognized complication of regular blood donation. 2,3 After a single donation, a person needs approximately 3 months to replenish iron stores.…”

“…5,6 The use of this parameter has been reported to have poor sensitivity in the detection of early stages of iron deficiency. 1 Indeed, an accurate diagnosis of a state of iron deficiency requires several laboratory tests. Measurements of serum ferritin concentrations and red cell indices such as mean cell volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) can be used with a high degree of accuracy and precision.…”

Accuracy of predonation Hct sampling affects donor safety, eligibility, and deferral rates

“…In this context, it is also worthwhile to consider whether donor Hct eligibility criteria should be reevaluated, as has been proposed 6,13–17 …”

Measuring the volume of packed RBCs in donors

“…Presumably, at these minimum levels, even a person weighing as little as 50 kg could spare a “pint of blood” without adverse consequences. Some countries use somewhat lower minimum levels and/or take smaller quantities of blood, which is presumably consistent with the norms for their population, including the minimum weights for persons who are allowed to donate blood 8 . After the donation of whatever quantity of blood that an otherwise qualified person can spare, a donor may not have a PCV within the “normal range,” but he or she should not be “anemic,” as the former usually implies 7 …”