Medical and laboratory assessment for regular blood donors in Sulaimani Blood Bank, Iraq

Figures & data

Table 1 Age distribution of male blood donors

Age (years)	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
<30	29	29.0	49	49.0	8.9	0.03
30–39	42	42.0	27	27.0
40–49	21	21.0	18	18.0
≥50	8	8.0	6	6.0
Mean ± SD	35.2±8.5		32.5±9.5

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Distribution of residence male blood donors

Residence	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
Urban	82	82.0	87	87.0	0.9	0.3
Rural	18	18.0	13	13.0

Table 3 Distribution of BMI and lifestyle of male blood donors

Variable	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
BMI					7.7	0.02
Normal	22	22.0	35	35.0
Overweight	54	54.0	54	54.0
Obese	24	24.0	11	11.0
Smoking					0.5	0.4
Yes	57	57.0	52	52.0
No	43	43.0	48	48.0
Alcohol consumption					0.09	0.7
Yes	29	29.0	27	27.0
No	71	71.0	73	73.0

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 4 Physical and plasma biochemical parameters of male blood donors

Variable	Regular donors	1st-time donors	t-test*	p-values
	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
Age (years)	35.2±8.5	32.5±9.5a	2.1	0.04
BMI	27.8±4.7	26.1±3.6a	2.7	0.006
Cholesterol (mmol/L)	197.6±43.8	209.5±45.6	1.8	0.06
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	250±134	216±114	1.9	0.06
LDL (mmol/L)	93.3±32.8	105.7±34.7a	2.5	0.01
Ferritin (ng/L)	78.6±75.3	158.8±99.1a	6.4	<0.001
Vitamin D3 (U/L)	19.6±5.9	18.5±6.6	0.8	0.4
Uric acid (µm/L)	6.3±1.8	6.1±1.5	0.7	0.4

Notes:

* Student’s t-test was used for measuring the significance between regular blood donors and 1st-time blood donors for the listed variables.

a Significant difference between 1st-time donors compared to regular donors.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; SD, standard deviation.

Table 5 Distribution of lipid profile in regular male blood donors and 1st-time male donors

Variable	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
Cholesterol					2.0	0.1
Normal	54	54.0	44	44.0
High	46	46.0	56	56.0
Triglycerides					2.8	0.09
Normal	43	43.0	55	55.0
High	57	57.0	45	45.0
LDL					3.7a	0.05
Normal	99	99.0	94	94.0		OR =6.3
High	1	1.0	6	6.0		CI ={0.7–53.4}

Note:

a Fishers exact test.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; OR, odds ratio.

Table 6 Distribution of male blood donors with normal and abnormal plasma vitamin D3, ferritin, and uric acid concentrations

Variable	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
Vitamin D3					0.1a	0.7
Low	95	95.1	96	96.0
Normal	5	5.0	4	4.0
(>30 ng/mL)
Serum ferritin					21.2a	<0.001
Low	25	25.0	3	3.0
Normal	74	74.0	93	93.0
(30–400 ng/L)
High	1	1.0	4	4.0
Serum uric acid					1.8	0.1
Normal	73	73.0	81	81.0
(3.3–7 mg/dL)
High	27	27.0	19	19.0

Note:

a Fishers exact test.

Table 7 Reasons for donation by the male blood donors

Causes of donation	Regular donors		1st-time donors		χ^2	p-values
	Number	%	Number	%
Headache	45	45.0	18	18.0	65.5a	<0.001
Polycythemia	15	15.0	20	20.0
Volunteer	10	10.0	23	23.0
Insomnia	9	9.0	0	–
Sleepiness	7	7.0	2	2.0
Neck and shoulder pain	5	5.0	2	2.0
Dizziness	4	4.0	0	–
Blood donation for relatives	0	–	31	31.0
Others	5	5.0	4	4.0

Note:

a Fishers exact test.