A Randomized Control Study to Evaluate Effects of Short-term Oral Iron Supplementation in Regular Voluntary Blood Donors

Abstract

Regular blood donation can lead to iron deficiency anaemia. Early recognition and reversal of excessive iron loss by iron supplementation may avoid symptomatic iron store depletion in blood donors. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of iron supplementation in maintaining the iron stores of voluntary blood donors. A total of 200 regular volunteers who donated twice in previous year were randomly divided into two groups. Iron: oral iron supplementation tablets of elemental iron as ferrous fumarate. Placebo group: glucose containing capsules, to be taken once daily for 21 days after one unit of blood donation. Their hemogram, serum ferritin, red cell indices and red cell distribution width were determined at baseline and after 1 month and at the time of next blood donation. Out of 200 volunteers enrolled 98 were assigned to iron group and rest 102 into placebo group. Total of 37 % donors dropped out, yielding a dropout rate of 35 % in iron group and 39 % in the placebo group. The haemoglobin and ferritin levels showed significant improvement in iron group compared to placebo group (p \ 0.05). Three weeks of oral iron therapy (98.6 mg elemental iron/day) was able to maintain iron stores at 1 month after donation but was not sufficient to sustain the iron stores over a period of 3 months. Thus there is need to evaluate increased dosage or duration of iron supplementation in maintaining the iron stores.

Applying newer parameter Ret‐He (reticulocyte haemoglobin equivalent) to assess latent iron deficiency (LID) in blood donors–study at a tertiary care hospital in India

“…Thus, Ret‐He correlated well with sTfR in detecting LID among donors depending on their frequency of donation. The results obtained were in concordance with other studies conducted earlier in India, showing increased incidence of iron deficiency as the frequency of donations increases . Mittal et al .…”

“…A study by Dara et al . showed that regular blood donation can lead to iron deficiency anaemia. They reported latent iron deficiency in 30.5% of regular blood donors with serum ferritin of less than 15 μg/l.…”

“…In India, iron deficiency is the most widespread micronutrient deficiency causing anaemia and affecting all age groups irrespective of gender, cast, creed and religion . Several studies from India shows high incidence of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) among blood donors especially regular blood donors …”

Epidemiology of Malnutrition among Pregnant Women and Associated Factors in Central Refit Valley of Ethiopia, 2016

“…One of the determinant nutritional factors for pregnant women for satisfactory outcome is iron supplementation. Basically, iron deficiency anemia defined as hemoglobin concentration level <11 g/dl [12]. Anemia in pregnant women can occur as moderate to severe public health problem in most countries and estimated prevalence among pregnant women is 41.8% of worldwide and half of its burden justified…”

Fast Track Anaemia Clinic (FTAC) and Intravenous Iron Administration: Its Relevance and Application Today in India

“…Iron deficiency in blood donors who donates blood regularly and even in first time female blood donors in India is common [9] and has been described world wide. Oral replacement of Iron in this group is useful but is frustrated due to large dropout rates [10].…”