The aim of this research was to analyze the key parameters of iron metabolism in regular blood donors in connection with the risk of developing iron deficiency conditions in this category..

Materials and methods. The study group consisted of regular whole blood donors (n = 24), of whom 62.5% were women. One-third of these women were older than 57 years and were in the postmenopausal period. The donors’ blood was analyzed for key iron metabolism indicators. In particular, the following were used: photometric method for determining iron concentration and total iron-binding capacity of blood serum and cyanide method for measuring hemoglobin concentration. Ferritin content was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical processing and data analysis were carried out using the Statistica 10.0 pack (StatSoft).

Results. Serum iron and transferrin saturation in male donors significantly exceeded this indicator in young and middle-aged female donors (P<0.001). The serum ferritin median was 43.42 μg/L (95% CI 33.15-62.15; 19.29; 60.49) with a significant range of data from 4.3 to 126 μg/L. Ferritin was below normal reference values in 17% of individuals. These donors have a history of making more than 5 donations in the last year. 12% of all donors had ferritin values ranging from 15 to 30 μg/L. These individuals had a history of 2 to 9 donations.

Iron metabolism indicators had certain statistically significant correlations, namely: direct correlations of high degree – between serum iron binding capacity and transferrin (r=0.9975, P<0.001), between serum iron and transferrin saturation (r=0.9646, P<0.001), hemoglobin and ferritin (r=0.7980, P<0.01), and ferritin and color index (r=0.7811, P<0.01). In a separate group of male donors, a significant inverse correlation between serum ferritin and donation history was confirmed (r=-0.6796, P<0.01). However, this relationship was not found in the group of women aged 24 to 57 years.

Conclusions. More than 10% of regular donors had ferritin values in the 15-30 µg/l accompanied by a blood hemoglobin content exceeding the threshold values for blood donation admission. The significant risk of developing iron deficiency without anemia in regular blood donors requires the development of additional recommendations for measures to monitor its level.

Keywords: regular blood donors, iron metabolism, ferritin, transferrin saturation, iron deficiency.