Iron status of regular voluntary blood donors

Abstract

Background:Our blood bank is a regional blood transfusion centre, which accepts blood only from voluntary donors.Aim:The aim is to study iron status of regular voluntary donors who donated their blood at least twice in a year.Materials and Methods:Prior to blood donation, blood samples of 220 male and 30 female voluntary donors were collected. Control included 100 each male and female healthy individuals in the 18- to 60-year age group, who never donated blood and did not have any chronic infection. In the study and control groups, about 10% subjects consumed non-vegetarian diet. After investigation, 85 males and 56 females having haemoglobin (Hb) levels above 12.5 g/dl were selected as controls. Donors were divided into ≤10, 11-20, 21-50 and >50 blood donation categories. Majority of the donors in >50 donation category donated blood four times in a year, whereas the remaining donors donated two to three times per year. Haematological parameters were measured on fully automatic haematology analyzer, serum iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) by biochemical methods, ferritin using ELISA kits and transferrin using immunoturbidometry kits. Iron/TIBC ratio × 100 gave percentage of transferrin saturation value.Statistical Analysis:Statistical evaluation was done by mean, standard deviation, pair t-test, χ2 and anova (F-test).Results:Preliminary analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the iron profile of vegetarian and non-vegetarian subjects or controls and the donors donating <20 times. Significant increase or decrease was observed in mean values of various haematological and iron parameters in donors who donated blood for >20 times (P < 0.001), compared to controls. Anaemia, iron deficiency and depletion of iron stores were more prevalent in female donors (P < 0.05) compared to males and especially in those male donors who donated their blood for more than 20 times.Conclusion:Regular voluntary blood donors should receive iron supplementation to prevent iron deficiency and depletion in iron stores.

Predictors of hemoglobin in Danish blood donors: results from the Danish Blood Donor Study

“…We found no consistent effect of diet on Hb levels, risk of low Hb, or risk of a decrease in Hb of more than 0.5 mmol/L (0.8 g/dL) between donations. The literature is ambiguous on the subject, with an Indian study finding no difference in iron profile between vegetarians and nonvegetarians . Another study found higher hematocrit values and iron levels in vegans and lactoovovegetarians compared with nonvegetarians, while one study from Germany reported iron status to be compromised by a vegetarian diet .…”

“…The literature is ambiguous on the subject, with an Indian study finding no difference in iron profile between vegetarians and nonvegetarians. 21 Another study found higher hematocrit values and iron levels in vegans and lactoovovegetarians compared with nonvegetarians, 22 while one study from Germany reported iron status to be compromised by a vegetarian diet. 23 However, given previously published results from the Danish Blood Donor Study, which showed only very limited effect of diet on iron stores, it is not surprising that we did not find any correlation between diet and Hb levels.…”

Evidence for a Proatherogenic Biochemical Phenotype in Beta Thalassemia Minor and Intermedia

“…This was probably due to the high number of splenectomized β-TI patients. According to previous studies [21], lower-than-normal levels of serum iron and transferrin saturation were observed in most of the blood donor controls. Nevertheless, in β-TMI blood donors, the levels of these parameters were about twice higher than in controls, even if they were significantly lower than in β-TI patients.…”

Subclinical leukopenia in a cross section of Nigerian blood donors

“…In most countries, strict regulations have been established for the selection of blood donors that incorporate criteria that serve to protect both the donor and recipient,2 but these regulations are not adhered to in most developing countries, including Nigeria. An acceptable frequency of donation is normally two or three times a year or every 12 weeks 3.…”