OBJECTIVES To assess the blood pressure (BP) of donors, the rate of hypertensive range readings amongst donors not previously identified as hypertensive and determine the value of an informational sheet about hypertension given at the time of donation. AIM To determine the value of screening for high BP during blood donation as a public health activity. BACKGROUND Blood donation centres mea...

Recognizing the factors affecting the number of blood donation and blood deferral has a major impact on blood transfusion. There is a positive correlation between the variables "number of blood donation" and "number of blood deferral": as the number of return for donation increases, so does the number of blood deferral. On the other hand, due to the fact that many donors never return to donate,...

In Libya, haemoglobin estimation is not used routinely to assess the fitness of blood donors. We examined the importance of including this parameter in donor selection. Venous blood samples were collected from the bleed line at the end of the donation process from 1339 healthy adult male blood donors, aged 18-60 years, in Al-Jala Women Hospital in Tripoli, Libya. Haemoglobin concentration was m...

BACKGROUND This paper describes the transmission of hepatitis A virus (HAV) to two blood recipients from a healthy donor that later presented to the blood bank with jaundice. METHODS The RNA of HAV was detected by qualitative nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR) and quantified by real-time RT-PCR. HAV RNA samples were genotyped by direct sequencing of PCR pro...

Currently, in Brazil, 1.78% of the population area blood donors, a level lower than the ideal one that, according to WHO, should be between 3% and 5% of the population. Following this scenario, the current study has a general goal of identifying and analyzing the main critical factors of the process of blood donation in the city of Belo Horizonte, MG, under the perception of donors, potential d...

BACKGROUND Iron deficiency without anemia is related to adverse symptoms that can be relieved by supplementation. Since a blood donation can induce such an iron deficiency, we investigated the clinical impact of iron treatment after a blood donation. METHODS One week after donation, we randomly assigned 154 female donors with iron deficiency without anemia, aged below 50 years, to a four-week...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In a previous study we established a reliable setpoint for the prevalence of bacteria in whole blood. In the present study we investigated the possible preventive effect, of diversion of the first 10 ml of a blood donation, on the bacterial contamination rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS To divert the first 10 ml of a whole-blood donation, we used a special five-bag system...

BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated that fear of having blood drawn is one of the strongest known predictors of vasovagal reactions among high school blood donors. This report examines the combined effects of donor fear and experience of vasovagal reactions on repeat donation attempts among high school blood donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Immediately after completing the blood donor healt...

Platelet adhesiveness to glass was measured in healthy blood donors at the time of and eight days after donating 500 ml of blood. By a whole blood method a highly significant increase was found whereas by a method using platelet-rich plasma with added adenosine diphosphate there was only a slightly significant increase. The discrepancy suggested that changes in the red cell population might inf...