Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review

Blood donors attending a donation session may be deferred from donating blood due to a failure to meet low hemoglobin (Hb) thresholds. This costs the blood donor service and donors valuable time and resources. In addition, donors who are deferred may have more symptoms, and as a direct and/or indire...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Browne, A, Fisher, SA, Masconi, K, Smith, G, Doree, C, Chung, R, Rahimzadeh, M, Shah, A, Rodriguez, SA, Bolton, T, Kaptoge, S, Wood, A, Sweeting, M, Roberts, DJ
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019
_version_ 1797073233062658048
author Browne, A
Fisher, SA
Masconi, K
Smith, G
Doree, C
Chung, R
Rahimzadeh, M
Shah, A
Rodriguez, SA
Bolton, T
Kaptoge, S
Wood, A
Sweeting, M
Roberts, DJ
author_facet Browne, A
Fisher, SA
Masconi, K
Smith, G
Doree, C
Chung, R
Rahimzadeh, M
Shah, A
Rodriguez, SA
Bolton, T
Kaptoge, S
Wood, A
Sweeting, M
Roberts, DJ
author_sort Browne, A
collection OXFORD
description Blood donors attending a donation session may be deferred from donating blood due to a failure to meet low hemoglobin (Hb) thresholds. This costs the blood donor service and donors valuable time and resources. In addition, donors who are deferred may have more symptoms, and as a direct and/or indirect effect of their experience, return rates of donors deferred for low Hb are reduced, even in repeat donors. It is therefore vital that low Hb deferral (LHD) is minimized. The aim of this updated systematic review is to expand the evidence base for factors which affect a donor's risk of deferral due to low Hb. Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry to March 2019. Demographic data, donor history, hematological/biological factors, and the primary outcome of deferral due to low Hb were extracted. Our primary outcome was deferral due to low Hb. Analyses were descriptive and quantitative; pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by meta-analysis using random-effects models. A total of 116 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed a significantly greater risk of LHD in females compared with males in studies applying universal Hb thresholds for males and females (OR 14.62 95% CI 12.43-17.19) and in those which used sex-specific thresholds (OR 5.73, 95% CI 4.36-7.53). Higher rates of LHD were also associated with increasing age in men, low body weight, shorter interdonation interval, donors of Hispanic or African descent, higher ambient temperature, donors with low ferritin levels, and donation in a fixed donor center. There was conflicting evidence on the effect of new and repeat donor status, and blood group. This work has strengthened the evidence of the previous review in identifying factors that should be considered in studies of donor deferral and highlighting areas in need of further study, including ABO and Rh blood groups, previous platelet donation, diet, smoking, time of day, and genetic data. These factors may lead to individually tailored donation criteria for safe and efficient donation in the future.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T23:19:10Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:682926d2-e55b-49aa-bd85-cd8a2c703c35
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T23:19:10Z
publishDate 2019
publisher Elsevier
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:682926d2-e55b-49aa-bd85-cd8a2c703c352022-03-26T18:43:05ZDonor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic reviewJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:682926d2-e55b-49aa-bd85-cd8a2c703c35EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordElsevier2019Browne, AFisher, SAMasconi, KSmith, GDoree, CChung, RRahimzadeh, MShah, ARodriguez, SABolton, TKaptoge, SWood, ASweeting, MRoberts, DJBlood donors attending a donation session may be deferred from donating blood due to a failure to meet low hemoglobin (Hb) thresholds. This costs the blood donor service and donors valuable time and resources. In addition, donors who are deferred may have more symptoms, and as a direct and/or indirect effect of their experience, return rates of donors deferred for low Hb are reduced, even in repeat donors. It is therefore vital that low Hb deferral (LHD) is minimized. The aim of this updated systematic review is to expand the evidence base for factors which affect a donor's risk of deferral due to low Hb. Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry to March 2019. Demographic data, donor history, hematological/biological factors, and the primary outcome of deferral due to low Hb were extracted. Our primary outcome was deferral due to low Hb. Analyses were descriptive and quantitative; pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by meta-analysis using random-effects models. A total of 116 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed a significantly greater risk of LHD in females compared with males in studies applying universal Hb thresholds for males and females (OR 14.62 95% CI 12.43-17.19) and in those which used sex-specific thresholds (OR 5.73, 95% CI 4.36-7.53). Higher rates of LHD were also associated with increasing age in men, low body weight, shorter interdonation interval, donors of Hispanic or African descent, higher ambient temperature, donors with low ferritin levels, and donation in a fixed donor center. There was conflicting evidence on the effect of new and repeat donor status, and blood group. This work has strengthened the evidence of the previous review in identifying factors that should be considered in studies of donor deferral and highlighting areas in need of further study, including ABO and Rh blood groups, previous platelet donation, diet, smoking, time of day, and genetic data. These factors may lead to individually tailored donation criteria for safe and efficient donation in the future.
spellingShingle Browne, A
Fisher, SA
Masconi, K
Smith, G
Doree, C
Chung, R
Rahimzadeh, M
Shah, A
Rodriguez, SA
Bolton, T
Kaptoge, S
Wood, A
Sweeting, M
Roberts, DJ
Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title_full Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title_fullStr Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title_short Donor deferral due to low hemoglobin – an updated systematic review
title_sort donor deferral due to low hemoglobin an updated systematic review
work_keys_str_mv AT brownea donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT fishersa donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT masconik donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT smithg donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT doreec donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT chungr donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT rahimzadehm donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT shaha donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT rodriguezsa donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT boltont donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT kaptoges donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT wooda donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT sweetingm donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview
AT robertsdj donordeferralduetolowhemoglobinanupdatedsystematicreview