title: Blood donors' physical characteristics are associated with pre- and post-donation symptoms - Donor InSight.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Observational data suggest that some donors might benefit from donating while others may be harmed. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and potential, routinely measured, determinants of pre- and post-donation symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Donor InSight, questionnaire data from 23,064 whole blood donors (53% female) were linked to routinely measured data on donors' physical characteristics (haemoglobin, blood pressure, body mass index and estimated blood volume) from the Dutch donor database. Absolute and relative associations between donors' physical donor and the presence of pre- and post-donation symptoms were studied using multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre-donation symptoms (lack of energy, headaches) were reported by 3% of men and 3% of women. Five percent of men and 4% of women reported positive post-donation symptoms (feeling fit, fewer headaches). Negative symptoms (fatigue, dizziness) were more common, occurring in 8% of men and 19% of women. All the studied donors' physical characteristics were positively associated with pre- and positive post-donation symptoms and negatively associated with negative symptoms. Body mass index was most consistently and independently associated with symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Donors' physical characteristics, in particular body mass index, were consistently associated with pre- and post-donation symptoms. This indicates that subgroups of donors more and less tolerant to donation might be identifiable using routinely measured data. Further research is warranted to study underlying mechanisms and potential strategies to predict and prevent donor reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Den Hurk
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karlijn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Regional Emergency Healthcare Network, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habets
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atsma
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Meander Academy, Meander Medical Centre, Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieternel C M
authors.initials: PCM
authors.lastname: Pasker-de Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paulus A H
authors.initials: PAH
authors.lastname: Van Noord
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid J T
authors.initials: IJT
authors.lastname: Veldhuizen
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim L A M
authors.initials: WLAM
authors.lastname: De Kort
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires