Evaluation of iron stores in blood donors by serum ferritin.
OBJECTIVE
Regular blood donation can lead to pre-clinical iron deficiency as well as iron deficiency anaemia. There is a need to increase the national voluntary blood donation for safe blood supply. However, there is paucity of data in the country regarding impact of regular voluntary blood donation on iron status of donors. Hence, iron stores were evaluated by serum ferritin estimation in the voluntary blood donors at Chandigarh.


METHODS
400 voluntary blood donors included in the study were divided into four groups depending upon their periodicity of blood donations. Pre-donation haemoglobin assessment was done by copper sulphate method. Serum ferritin was estimated by indirect ELISA.


RESULTS
The number of female donors with deficient iron stores was more as compared to male donors. First time donors had higher mean serum ferritin levels than that in repeat donors. The frequency of donations per year was more predictive of decreased iron stores rather than the number of lifetime donations. An increase in donation frequency was accompanied by a significant decrease in serum ferritin; values <15 microg/l were found in 21 and 46 per cent of male and female donors respectively who donated once per year, in 29 and 27 per cent in those who donated twice per year and in 49 and 100 per cent in those who donated thrice per year.


CONCLUSIONS
Haemoglobin estimation alone in regular blood donors may not be adequate; serum ferritin estimations may need to be done to detect pre-clinical iron deficiency states. Also, iron supplementation needs to be considered in regular, repeat voluntary blood donors.
Mittal
Romilla
R
Department of Pathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
Marwaha
Neelam
N
Basu
Sabita
S
Mohan
Harsh
H
Ravi Kumar
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins