Iron status in Norwegian blood donors: comparison of iron status in new blood donors registered in 1993-1997 and in 2005-2006.
OBJECTIVE
The impact of a poor iron status on the difficulties to keep recruitment of new donors at pace with the ongoing increased demand for blood transfusions was studied by comparing the iron status of new donors recruited in 1993-1997 and in 2005-2006.


METHODS
Iron status was defined by haemoglobin and serum ferritin. Inclusion criteria for approving new donors were haemoglobin >/= 12.5 g/dl for women and >/= 13.5 g/dl for men, and serum ferritin > 15 microg/l for both genders. Data were gathered retrospectively from 943 subjects (55% women) in the 1990 ties and prospectively from 1013 subjects (63% women) 10 years later.


RESULTS
In women, there was a significant fall in haemoglobin and serum ferritin mean values from 13.2 to 13.1 g/dl and from 30.9 to 26.9 microg/l, respectively. Rejection due to low haemoglobin was significantly increased from 14% to 24%. In men, there were minor changes that did not affect rejection rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Iron status of women who want to serve as blood donors has deteriorated in the last 10 years, leading to an increased rejection due to haemoglobin below the inclusion criterion for blood donors.
Røsvik
A S
AS
Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Institute of Life Sciences, Alesund University College, Alesund, Norway; and Blood Bank, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen Norway. ar@hials.no
Hervig
T
T
Wentzel-Larsen
T
T
Ulvik
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron