title: The value of routine ferritin measurement in blood donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron store deficiency is a common side effect of whole blood donation. Early recognition and reversal of excessive iron loss may avoid symptomatic iron store depletion in blood donors and reduce volunteer loss due to iron deficiency (ID) anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1996 and 2009, a total of 160,612 visits with the intention to donate blood by 23,557 healthy volunteers were recorded at our center. As of 2004, routine serum ferritin testing and additional counseling of donors at risk for donation-induced anemia were implemented. We analyzed the impact of this measure on the hemoglobin (Hb) levels and anemia occurrence in our donor population and in particular in women of childbearing age. Donation rejections due to low Hb counts, the intervals to next donation, and return rates thereafter were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The introduction of routine serum ferritin analysis resulted in an increase of mean Hb levels in blood donors particularly in women of childbearing age. The incidence of predonation anemia and donation ineligibility due to a low Hb concentration decreased significantly. The return intervals of donors rejected on account of low Hb levels were shortened; however, the return rates thereafter were also curtailed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic serum ferritin measurements allowed an optimized management of ID in our donors and efficacious prevention of ID anemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. aomeara@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Alix
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Meara
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Infanti
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stebler
authors.forename: Morven
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruesch
authors.forename: Joerg-Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sigle
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins