Pattern and Causes of Blood Donor Deferral: A Two-Year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Blood Centre.

Dr Lubna Naseer; Saadat; Qurat; Ritika

doi:10.51168/xzkka970

Autori

Dr Lubna Naseer Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT), Government Medical College & Associated Hospital, Udhampur
Saadat Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT), Government Medical College, Baramulla
Qurat GP Registrar, Sunny Meed General Practice, Surrey, UK
Ritika Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Pune 411043, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/xzkka970

Cuvinte cheie:

blood donor, donor deferral, donor selection, haemoglobin, temporary deferral, donor retention

Rezumat

Background

Donor selection protects donors and recipients, but deferral also removes motivated individuals from the donor pool. Local deferral patterns show which barriers to donation are reversible.

Aim: To determine the frequency, pattern, and causes of pre-donation blood donor deferral at a tertiary care blood centre.

Materials and methods

This retrospective, record-based study reviewed all 5,254 prospective whole-blood donors registered at the Blood Centre of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Jammu and Kashmir, India, from January 2022 to December 2023. Age, sex, eligibility status, nature of deferral, and documented reason were extracted. The primary outcome was the overall deferral rate. Sex-specific rates were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test, and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. A two-sided p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Of 5,254 prospective donors, 326 were deferred (6.20%). Females were deferred more often than males (55/576, 9.55% vs 271/4,678, 5.79%; χ²=12.43, p<0.001; RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.25–2.17). Temporary deferrals made up 267/326 (81.90%) and permanent deferrals 59/326 (18.10%). Low haemoglobin was the leading temporary cause (53.18%), followed by mild infection (14.61%), alcohol intake (7.87%), and recent tattooing (6.74%). Insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (55.93%) and uncontrolled hypertension (32.20%) were the most frequent permanent deferral categories.

Conclusion

Most deferrals were temporary, so most deferred donors were potentially recoverable. Low haemoglobin dominated the temporary deferral profile, and women had a significantly higher deferral rate than men.

Recommendation

Blood centres should give deferred donors cause-specific counselling, refer donors with low haemoglobin for clinical evaluation, and recall temporarily deferred donors once they are eligible again. Donors registered as permanently deferred for uncontrolled hypertension should be reassessed against current criteria.

Biografii autori

Dr Lubna Naseer, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT), Government Medical College & Associated Hospital, Udhampur

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Government Medical College & Associated Hospital, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Her work in the blood centre covers donor screening, donor selection and the supervision of blood collection at the centre and at outreach camps. Her research interests include blood donor deferral, adverse reactions in whole-blood donors, donor safety and retention, and quality systems in transfusion services.
Saadat, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT), Government Medical College, Baramulla

is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT), Government Medical College, Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The department provides blood centre services including donor recruitment and selection, blood component preparation, and compatibility testing. Professional interests include donor selection practices, transfusion safety and the organisation of blood centre services in Jammu and Kashmir.
Qurat, GP Registrar, Sunny Meed General Practice, Surrey, UK

is a General Practice (GP) Registrar at Sunny Meed General Practice, Surrey, United Kingdom, training in primary care within the National Health Service. She brings a primary care perspective to this study, particularly on the evaluation and follow-up of donors deferred for reversible conditions such as low haemoglobin, and has an interest in preventive health and community-based care.
Ritika, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Pune 411043, India

(MBBS, MD Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Pune, India. Her areas of interest include blood donor management, immunohaematology and transfusion safety.

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