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Whole blood donors' post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries

Sweegers, Maike G.; Twisk, Jos W.R.; Quee, Franke A.; Ferguson, Eamonn; van den Hurk, Katja

Whole blood donors' post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries Thumbnail


Authors

Maike G. Sweegers

Jos W.R. Twisk

Franke A. Quee

EAMONN FERGUSON eamonn.ferguson@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Health Psychology

Katja van den Hurk



Abstract

Background: Whole blood donors may experience post-donation symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness or headache after blood donation, which could influence donor retention. We aimed to examine post-donation symptoms during one week after whole blood donation, investigate donor characteristics associated with symptoms and evaluate associations between symptoms and donor return.

Methods: During one week, whole blood donors who donated successfully at one of the collection centres in the Netherlands were invited to participate. 3076 Donors filled in a diary, assessing post-donation symptoms during day 1 to 6 after donation. We used linear mixed models analyses to determine the change in post-donation symptoms after donation for male and female donors separately. Furthermore, we investigated associations between post-donation symptoms and donors’ physical characteristics using multivariable regression and determined associations between symptoms and donor return.

Results: Donors reported fatigue as the most common symptom, with approximately 3% of donors experiencing severe problems at the first day after donation. Multiple symptoms improved significantly up to day 3 after whole blood donation. Age, BMI, blood pressure (male donors) and blood volume (female donors) were significantly associated with post-donation symptoms. Donors with less fatigue after whole blood donation were more likely to return for their next donation within 31 days after receiving an invitation.

Conclusion: Post-symptoms improve up to three days after whole blood donation. Our results may help blood collection centres to identify donors more prone to post-donation symptoms and provide personalized information about the presence and course of post-donation symptoms, possibly increasing donor return rates.

Citation

Sweegers, M. G., Twisk, J. W., Quee, F. A., Ferguson, E., & van den Hurk, K. (2021). Whole blood donors' post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries. Transfusion, 61(3), 811-821. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.16220

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 26, 2020
Online Publication Date Jan 23, 2021
Publication Date 2021-03
Deposit Date Oct 27, 2020
Publicly Available Date Jan 24, 2022
Journal Transfusion
Print ISSN 0041-1132
Electronic ISSN 1537-2995
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 61
Issue 3
Pages 811-821
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.16220
Keywords Immunology; Immunology and Allergy; Hematology
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4993864
Publisher URL https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/trf.16220
Additional Information This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Sweegers, M. G., Twisk, J. W. R., Quee, F. A., Ferguson, E., & van den Hurk, K. (2021). Whole blood donors’ post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries. Transfusion, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.16220. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.

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