Implications of Hyperbilirubinaemia among Apparently Healthy Blood Donors in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

The ultimate goal of blood transfusion service is to provide qualitative, safe and adequate blood and blood products to recipients. Transfusion of hyperbilirubinated blood may be detrimental in clinical practice during exchange blood transfusion. This is particularly implicative when blood with poor morphological and biochemical constitutes are transfused to neonates and critically ill patients. To determine the incidence and possible implications of hyperbilirubinaemia among blood donors in Benin City, Nigeria, blood samples were collected from 100 Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTI) seronegative commercial donors and 20 TTI voluntary donors. These blood samples were analyzed for serum bilirubin (unconjugated and total) concentrations, Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and hemoglobin concentration using the Evelyn's, Mally's, microhaematocrit and cyanometheamoglobin methods, respectively. Out of the 120 blood donors, 8 (6.67%) of the commercial donors had a total bilirubin greater than 1 mg dLG 1 (hyperbilirubinaemic) while none of the voluntary donors had total bilirubin values >1 mg dLG 1. The Mean SEM serum unconjugated bilirubin, total bilirubin, PCV and hemoglobin of the commercial donors were 0.35±0.02 and 0.50±0.03 mg dLG 1 , 36.4±0.45% and 11.5±2.38 g LG 1 , respectively while the levels in control subjects were 0.05±0.01 and 0.09±0.02 mg dLG 1 , 44±0.64% and 13.2±2.54. Serum bilirubin was significantly higher (p = 0.00062) while the PCV and hemoglobin concentration were lower (p = 0.00145 and p = 0.00125, respectively) in commercial blood donors when compared with voluntary blood donors. Based on our findings, screening of blood for bilirubin level before transfusion is not needful, however serum bilirubin screening of blood to be transfused to neonates and critically ill patients should be considered.