A Cross-sectional Study on Monitoring Serum Ferritin Alongside Hemoglobin: A Crucial Step to Safeguard Donors

Background: This study mainly aimed to assess how repeated blood donations affect iron (Fe) stores in regular donors. It was supposed that lifetime and frequency of donations were correlated with hemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin levels. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on voluntary blood donors at a tertiary health care center. Red cell parameters were measured with a Sysmex XN 1000 analyzer, and serum ferritin levels were estimated using Roche Cobas e 411. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0. Results: Overall, 200 regular voluntary blood donors were evaluated in this study. They were grouped by total lifetime donations and donation frequency over the past year. Based on the results, a significant correlation was found between donation frequency and serum ferritin levels. Despite normal Hb concentrations, serum ferritin levels declined with higher donation frequency, confirming that donation frequency is a better predictor of decreased Fe stores than total lifetime donations. In our study, 9.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% of donors were in stages 1, 2, and 3 of Fe deficiency, respectively, indicating that further donations could compromise donor safety. Conclusion: Estimating Hb levels alone is insufficient for selecting blood donors, as individuals may be in the early stages of Fe deficiency anemia. It is important to review and enhance the screening tests used for donor selection. This should include routine serum ferritin measurements, particularly for regular blood donors, to help detect subclinical Fe deficiency.