Donor reactions in high-school donors: the effects of sex, weight, and collection volume.
BACKGROUND
The high incidence of donor reactions in first-time, 17-year-old Caucasian whole-blood donors makes this group ideal for the study of donor reactions.


METHODS
Donor reaction rates were retrospectively evaluated in 7274 first-time, 17-year-old Caucasian whole-blood donors based on observations recorded at the collection sites. The effect of sex and weight on donor reactions was determined. In addition, a model was developed to estimate how different blood collection volumes would affect donor reaction rates.


RESULTS
The donor reaction rate was 12.0 percent (870/7274). Female donors overall had a higher donor reaction rate than male donors (16.7% vs. 7.3%) and also had a higher donor reaction rate than male donors at each 20-lb weight interval in the range from 110 to 189 lb. A model suggested that a change in the blood-unit volume from 450 to 500 mL would increase donor reaction rates by 18 percent in either female or male donors, whereas a reduction in the blood-unit volume from 500 to 400 mL would decrease donor reaction rates by 29 and 27 percent in female and male donors, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
First-time, 17-year-old Caucasian female donors had a higher donor reaction rate than male donors overall and at equivalent donor weights. In the range of present US blood-unit volumes, a change in collection of as little as 50 mL could have a significant impact on blood donor reaction rates in high-school students.
Newman
B H
BH
American Red Cross Blood Services, Southeastern Michigan Region, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. newmanb@usa.redcross.org
Satz
S L
SL
Janowicz
N M
NM
Siegfried
B A
BA
D000293:Adolescent; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001835:Body Weight; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010167:Pallor; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013546:Sweating