Iron and blood donation- an under-recognised safety issue.
A growing body of evidence suggests that iron status is frequently affected by blood donation. Iron deficiency may be assessed through iron storage depletion measured by serum ferritin. These measurements indicate a high incidence of iron deficiency in repeat donors. This is not ameliorated through increasing pre-donation haemoglobin cut-offs. Depletion of tissue--rather then storage--iron, may be assessed by measurement of the serum transferrin receptor; such measurements in repeat donors indicate tissue iron depletion, but to a much lesser extent than storage iron depletion. A fuller understanding on how repeat donation affects donor health will allow better haematological criteria for donor selection to be developed. Blood agencies and standard-setting authorities need to accord the issue of donor iron and donation status as high a priority as that of any blood safety issue involving patient safety, if the safety and supply of the blood system is to be maintained.
Farrugia
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Office of Devices, Blood and Tissues, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Woden, ACT, Australia. albert.farrugia@health.gov.au
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000209:etiology*; D001782:Blood Donors; D046148:Donor Selection / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D012449:Safety / Q000592:standards*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron