title: Evaluation of cardiovascular risk in blood donors: results of the CARDIORISK study in the Parma Transfusion Service.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease, which is one of the main causes of mortality in industrialised countries, is ever increasingly the focus of prevention. In this study, called "Cardiorisk", we evaluated cardiovascular risk in the population of blood donors at the Service of Immunohaematology and Transfusion Medicine in Parma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2007 and December 2008, 6,172 consecutive blood donors (aged 35-65 years) were enrolled in this project which entailed calculating each subject's cardiovascular risk score, based on an evaluation of both unalterable risk factors (age and gender) and modifiable risk factors (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glycaemia, smoking, hypertension) as well as anti-hypertensive and/or cholesterol-lowering therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 6,172 donors enrolled in the study, 5,039 (81.7%) had a low cardiovascular risk (score from 0-10), 774 (12.5%) had a moderate cardiovascular risk (score from 11-19) and 359 (5.8%) donors had a high cardiovascular risk (score from 20-28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our opinion, the calculation of cardiovascular risk is an important instrument for preventive medicine in blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Immunoematologia e Medicina Trasfusionale, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laoratorio, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy. pdellanna@ao.pr.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dell'anna
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adorni
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernuzzi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cantarelli
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cepparulo
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cocchi
authors.forename: Loretana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'anna
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Formentini
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sassi
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scognamiglio
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vescovi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franchini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk