Zinc protoporphyrin as screening test in female blood donors

Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) was measured in 102 women blood donors to evaluate its usefulness in screening for evolving iron deficiency anemia, a reason for the deferral of donors. The results were compared with serum ferritin determinations. Five women were deferred before their first donation and eight women were deferred after one or two donations. Women with increased ZPP values all had low serum ferritin concentrations, indicating iron-deficient erythropoiesis that was caused by iron depletion. The positive predictive value of an increased ZPP in predicting deferral of the donor after one or two donations was 75%, whereas a serum ferritin concentration < or = 12 microg/L predicted deferral in 26% of the donors. The results indicate that the ZPP test can be recommended as a feasible and inexpensive predonation test to determine a subset of donors with iron-deficient erythropoiesis at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia.