Shift collection efforts away from teenagers?
Vitalant’s findings “are of considerable value to other organizations collecting blood from teenagers,” Alan E. Mast, MD, PhD, said in an accompanying editorial. Dr. Mast is medical director and senior investigator at Versiti Blood Research Institute and associate professor of cell biology, neurobiology, and anatomy at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. “The data presented confirm the high baseline level of iron deficiency in teenagers and its increase after blood donation. Pediatricians should be aware of the large number of teenagers donating blood in the United States, consider routinely asking about blood donation during routine physical examinations, and perform appropriate laboratory screening and treatment of iron deficiency.”
High school blood drives are a cost-effective way to collect blood, and stricter regulations on the collection of blood from teenagers may “have a detrimental effect on the blood supply,” Dr. Mast said. Nevertheless, “efforts should be made to reverse the trend of increasing collections from teenagers with increased emphasis on collection from adults.”
AABB (previously known as the American Association of Blood Banks), an organization of professionals who practice transfusion medicine, recommended in 2017 that blood collection agencies limit donors aged 16-18 years to one whole-blood donation per year, dispense iron supplements, or perform ferritin testing to advise donors about further steps, Dr. Mast noted.
“In the absence of other interventions, 1 year should be the minimum interdonation interval for teenagers,” said Dr. Mast. “If ferritin testing is performed, teenagers with ferritin levels [greater than] 50 ng/mL at index donation could perhaps donate twice per year.”
Dr. Vassallo has received payment from Fresenius Kabi and HemaStrat for scientific advisory board membership. Dr. Mast receives research funding from Novo Nordisk and has received honoraria for serving on Novo Nordisk advisory boards. He received no external funding for his commentary.
SOURCE: Vassallo RR et al. Pediatrics. 2020 Jun 5. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-3316.