Altered Red Cell Indices in Repeat Blood Donors: Experience of a North Indian Blood Bank

Abstract

Subclinical Iron deficiency appearing in blood donors after blood donation is a recognized problem. Donors at an increased risk of iron deficiency need to be identified. Blood donors meeting national selection criteria were included in the study. Complete blood counts were done using Sysmex XP-100 three part hematology analyzer. Differences in RBC indices among donor groups defined by previous donations were then analyzed statistically. Six hundred and seventy three males and ninety six females were studied. In males, Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant differences between groups defined by number of donations for MCH and MCV (P value \ 0.001), but not for MCHC (P value = 0.09) and RDW (P value = 0.6). Post-hoc tests showed statistically significant difference between donors having six or more donations compared to donors having no previous donations for both MCH as well as MCV. No significant difference was found between donor subgroups in females for any of the indices; however, no female donated blood more than three times in the study. There is increased risk for iron deficiency in donors having six or more previous donations, and evidence for starting an iron screening and supplementation programme for these donors.

La Donación de Sangre

“…Se ha observado que cuando esta última se encuentra en cifras menores o iguales a 30 μg/L los pacientes pueden presentar una eritropoyesis deficiente con depleción de hierro y es necesario ampliar el intervalo de tiempo entre donaciones . [40][41][42] Según Jelany y col. 43 los pacientes con flebotomías frecuentes descendían en promedio 80 ng/mL sus niveles de ferritina sérica, Otros estudios, han reportado que en un lapso de dos años los pacientes que hicieron más donaciones tenían índices más bajos de ferritina que quienes hacían pocas donaciones, pues sus niveles eran normales. 17 Por otro lado, Borai describió en su estudio que a los 22 días de una plaquetaferesis, los niveles de ferritina y de HbA1c descendían en forma significativa.…”