Evaluation of iron levels and hematological indices among blood donors at the Southern Zonal Blood Center, Accra, Ghana

Background

Blood donation is essential for maintaining life-saving supplies, but screening often focuses only on hemoglobin, neglecting iron stores. While hemoglobin recovers quickly, iron takes longer to replenish, putting frequent donors at risk. Even without anemia, low iron can cause fatigue, reduced endurance, and cognitive issues, potentially leading to iron-deficiency anemia. Many programs overlook iron status, leaving regular donors vulnerable to chronic depletion.

Objective

The objective of the study was to assess the iron status and haematological indices of categories of blood donors.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited 350 blood donors of which 146 were first-time donors, 146 repeat donors, and 58 hemoglobin-deferred donors from the Southern Zonal Blood Center, Accra, Ghana. For each participant, about 3 mL of blood sample was obtained to estimate FBC for haematological parameters and serum ferritin concentration for iron status.

Results

The study involved 350 blood donors and found a median Hb of 12.4 g/dL and ferritin levels ranging from 11.8 to 500 ng/mL. First-time donors showed a positively skewed Hb distribution, while repeat donors had greater variation with outliers. Significant differences (p < 0.001) in Hb, MCV, MCHC, RDW, and serum ferritin were observed across the groups, though MCH showed no significant difference (p = 0.062). Iron depletion was present in 16.7 % of participants, whilst 8.3 % had iron-deficient erythropoiesis, and 75 % had normal ferritin levels.

Conclusion

The findings of the study highlight the differences in iron reserves and hematological parameters among donor categories, emphasizing the impact of donation frequency on iron status. This study provides new evidence from Ghana on how blood donation frequency affects iron reserves and haematological indices.