Assessment of frequency, investigation of causes and treatment of anemia in candidates to blood donation aiming for the reinstatement of blood donors

Authors

  • Eduardo Cabral Camacho FCMS/PUC-SP
  • Renan Adami Ferraz FCMS/PUC-SP
  • Marcelo Gil Cliquet FCMS/PUC-SP

Keywords:

blood donos, iron-deficiency anemia, hematocrit

Abstract

Objective: anemia in women is defined by WHO as having an hemoglobin level lower than 12g/dL. This study aims to identify the causes and to provide treatment of anemia in women considered unsuited for blood donation at Hemonúcleo Sorocaba for having an hematocrit lower than 38%, criteria applied at the service as a definition of anemia. Results: Between the months of August/12 and April/13 the Hemonucleo received 13.200 volunteers for blood donation. Women accounted for 58.8% (7759) of this amount, whilst 12.8% (997) of them were considered unsuitable for blood donation. Having a hematocrit ≤ 38% was the reason in 21.6% of these cases (216 women). Fifty-four out of these 216 patients were successfully contacted and invited to a medical appointment. The main reason for this low contact rate was the impossibility of locating these patients (58.3% of the cases). From the contacted patients 32 attended their medical appointments, and 22 reported that they were concerned about their impossibility to donate blood and said they would donate it once their hematocrit rate allowed it. Twenty-eight of the consulted women (87.5%) presented symptoms of anemia. 46.9% of them had had previous episodes of anemia. Of the twenty-one patients who had their blood tested, 13 of them (40.6%) had an hematocrit < 38% and only six (18.75%) had hemoglobin < 12g/dL, which complies with the diagnosis of anemia. Conclusion: low hematocrit rate often prevents women who actually don´t have anemia from donating blood. The non-anemic patients were informed about their condition and anemic patients were treated with iron sulfate. Both groups were reinstated for blood donation. The present study proved to be beneficial for patients, who had their anemia diagnosed and treated, improving their symptoms and restoring their health, also allowing these women to be suitable candidates for blood donation, increasing the number of donors.

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Author Biographies

Eduardo Cabral Camacho, FCMS/PUC-SP

Acadêmico do curso de Medicina FCMS/PUC-SP

Renan Adami Ferraz, FCMS/PUC-SP

Acadêmico do curso de Medicina FCMS/PUC-SP

Marcelo Gil Cliquet, FCMS/PUC-SP

Professor do Depto. de Medicina FCMS/PUC-SP

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Published

2014-09-24

How to Cite

1.
Camacho EC, Ferraz RA, Cliquet MG. Assessment of frequency, investigation of causes and treatment of anemia in candidates to blood donation aiming for the reinstatement of blood donors. Rev. Fac. Ciênc. Méd. Sorocaba [Internet]. 2014Sep.24 [cited 2024Oct.19];16(3):121-4. Available from: https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/RFCMS/article/view/19154

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Original Article