Deferral pattern in voluntary blood donors on basis of low hemoglobin and effect of application of digital hemoglobinometer on this pattern

Abstract

Background:One of the responsibilities of blood center is to provide safety to blood donors. It is mandatory to screen a blood donor for hemoglobin (Hb) or hematocrit which should not be less than 12.5 g/dl or 38% Hct. Most commonly applied method for hemoglobin estimation is copper sulphate method, but this method has chances of false acceptance as well as false deferral. In order to avoid this chance of error, digital hemoglobinometer is used. This study was planned to analyze effect of application of digital hemoglobinometer for detection of Hb on donors, who are deferred by copper sulphate method.Materials and Methods:Total 35,339 voluntary non renumareted altruistic donors were included in this study between the periods of September 2005 to July 2006. Total deferred donors were 8622 (24.39%) and donors deferred due to hemoglobin by copper sulphate method were 4391 (50.92%). Digital hemoglobinometer was applied on 3163 deferred donors (72.03%). Results of digital hemoglobinometer were validated by known controls.Result:Digital hemoglobinometer was applied on 3163 donors who were deferred by copper sulphate method. Out of this, donors accepted by digital hemoglobinometer were 1196 (37.01%). Total repeat donors were 629 (52.50%) and first time were 567 (47.40%). Male donors were 891 (74.44%) and females were 305 (25.50%). Donors deferred with digital hemoglobinometer were 2135, out of them 1097 (51.14%) were repeat, 1038 (48.38%) were first time, 1349 (60.79%) were male, 786 (34.47%) donors were female donors. Range of hemoglobin in deferred donors was 7.0 to 12.4 and in accepted donors 12.5 to 16.4.Conclusion:By the application of digital hemoglobinometer 37.81% donors were found hemoglobin >12.5 which were deferred with copper sulphate method and unnecessary deferral of donors can be reduced to a great extent. In country like India, where blood supply is always less than the requirement, this new technique may be helpful to increase donor population but cost benefit ratio should be analyzed.

Depleted iron stores in voluntary blood donors: A three-center cross-sectional study in Ghana

“…As the copper sulfate density-based hemoglobin screening procedure has been demonstrated to be fraught with low sensitivity in detecting negative iron balance,[ 19 20 ] blood donor recruitment centers should be encouraged to adopt hemoglobin meters for hemoglobin screening during mobile sessions to ensure adequate protection of prospective donors. [ 21 ]…”

Evaluation of two‐step haemoglobin screening with HemoCue for blood donor qualification in mobile collection sites

“…Inaccuracy in capillary haemoglobin could contribute to exacerbate the problem of donor rejection, and we and others have shown that many donors with acceptable haemoglobin concentration are inappropriately deferred under the conditions of routine fingerstick screening . Such imprecision may be related to analytical and non‐analytical factors such as the devices and procedures used for measurements, donor's posture for blood sampling, season of the year and intrinsic donor characteristics , but it can also be due to inherent differences between capillary and venous blood samples .…”

A study of the noncompliance of blood banks on safety and quality parameters in blood donation camps in Bengaluru

“…[ 4 5 6 7 ] Significant focus of WHO, NACO, AABB and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has been to design and implement a stringent donor selection criteria both to ensure donor's and recipient's safety. Several studies have shown the anemia as the single largest cause of donor deferral with quantum of deferral ranging from 12.4% to 26%[ 8 9 10 11 ] in India. NC associated with Hb estimation might lead to the person who is already anemic to donate blood and in effect increasing the severity of anemia.…”