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[Iron stores in regular blood donors].
Małgorzata Szymczyk-Nuzka1, Dariusz Wołowiec
1Regionalne Centrum Krwiodawstwa i Krwiolecznictwa we Wrocławiu.
Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnetrznej
|April 1, 2004
Summary
Regular blood donors often have iron depletion, even with normal hemoglobin. Monitoring iron status is crucial to prevent further depletion and ensure donor health.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Transfusion Medicine
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Regular blood donation can lead to iron depletion.
- Assessing iron balance in donors with normal blood counts is important.
- Iron deficiency can impact donor health and future donations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate iron balance status in male regular blood donors.
- To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency and its relation to donation history.
- To compare serum ferritin (FRT) and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) for detecting iron depletion.
Main Methods:
- Studied 151 male regular blood donors and 50 age-matched controls.
- Measured blood count, iron metabolism parameters (serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation), FRT, sTfR, and erythropoietin (EPO).
- Analyzed the relationship between iron status and cumulative donations, and compared FRT and sTfR sensitivity.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of iron depletion: 49.7% had low FRT (<20 µg/L), 18.5% had elevated sTfR.
- Regular donors showed significantly lower mean FRT, MCV, and TS compared to controls.
- No direct correlation found between cumulative donations and iron depletion; age influenced FRT levels.
Conclusions:
- Regular whole blood donors with normal blood counts exhibit a high incidence of iron depletion.
- Routine monitoring of iron metabolism is recommended for regular blood donors.
- Early detection and intervention are necessary to prevent severe iron depletion in donors.