Methods: Donated blood units were assessed for the presence or absence of HBV, HCV, and HIV using two screening method: serology and NAT. Reactive blood samples were then subjected to serological confirmatory and NAT discriminatory assays.
Results: A total of 9669 donors were recruited from September 2017 to June 2018. Among these, 36 donors were reactive either for HBV, HCV, or HIV by serological testing and eight by NAT screening. However, only 10 (three for HBV and seven for HCV) donors tested positive using serological testing and five (two for HBV and three for HCV) by NAT discriminatory assays. Note that all five NAT positive donors detected in the NAT discriminatory assays were confirmed to be serologically reactive. Therefore, the prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 0.03%, 0.1%, and 0.0%, respectively, in our donor pool.
Conclusions: Both serological and NAT screening and confirmatory assays should be used routinely to reduce the risk of infection transmission via the transfusion of blood and blood components.
AIMS: This study was undertaken to establish the prevalence of VVR among whole blood donors in Hospital Pulau Pinang and to investigate factors that lead to its occurrence.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 27,890 whole blood donations in 2016.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: For each donation, donor's demographic and blood donation-related information was extracted from the blood bank database.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Qualitative data including age group, sex, race, frequency, and location of donation were analyzed using Chi-square tests, while blood pressure was analyzed using t-test.
RESULTS: Overall, 425 cases of VVRs were reported, resulting in a VVR rate of 1.5% (one event in every 65 donations). We found a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between the occurrence of VVRs with the young age group, female gender, Indian race, first-time donor, lower predonation blood pressure, and donation performed in a mobile donation campaign. The most common vasovagal symptoms are lightheadedness (88%), followed by nausea (5.4%), muscle twitching (3.5%), vomiting (1.4%), loss of consciousness <30 s (1.4%), and paresthesia (0.2%).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of VVRs among whole blood donors in Hospital Pulau Pinang appeared to be low. Our study reaffirms that blood donation is a relatively safe process, and the incidence of VVR can be further reduced by ensuring strict screening procedure before blood donation.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Sulaimani Blood Bank, during the period of April 1, 2016 to March 28, 2017, on convenient samples of 100 regular and 100 first-time blood donors. Donor particulars were obtained from blood bank records. The cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, ferritin, vitamin D3, and uric acid concentrations of blood samples were determined.
Results: The main reason for blood donation by regular blood donors was headache (45%), while for the first-timers it was to help relatives (31%). The low-density lipoprotein and ferritin concentrations were significantly (p=0.001) lower in the blood of regular donors than first-timers.
Conclusion: The study shows that regular blood donation is beneficial for the maintenance of health of donors.