Impact of iron supplementation among anemic voluntary first‐time blood donors: Results from the BLOODSAFE pilot trial in Ghana

Dei‐Adomakoh, Yvonne, Olayemi, Edeghonghon, Telke, Susan, Asamoah‐Akuoko, Lucy, Appiah, Bernard, Segbefia, Catherine, Ward, Caitlin, Tancred, Tara, Yawson, Alfred Edwin, Adu‐Afarwuah, Seth, Akwasi‐Kuma, Amma Benneh, Ofori‐Acquah, Solomon Fiifi, Adongo, Philip Baba, Acquah, Michael Ebo, Ametorwo, Reena, Bates, Imelda ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0862-8199, Agyei, Francis, Delaney, Meghan and Reilly, Cavan (2024) 'Impact of iron supplementation among anemic voluntary first‐time blood donors: Results from the BLOODSAFE pilot trial in Ghana'. Transfusion. (In Press)

Text Iron supplementation in Prospective Blood Donors_P&PReviewed _CLEAN September 2024.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 November 2025. Download (408kB)

Abstract

Introduction
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), an adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion is a major developmental challenge. In Ghana, deferral from blood donation for anemia accounts for nearly half of the ineligible blood donors. We conducted a longitudinal two-arm parallel-group non-inferiority trial to test if iron supplementation among blood donors with iron deficiency (ID) or anemia could increase their hemoglobin levels to near those without ID or anemia.

Materials and Methods
A structured questionnaire was used to collect participants' sociodemographic and medical information after written informed consent was obtained. Blood samples were analyzed for full blood count (FBC), serum ferritin, malaria rapid test, and a peripheral blood smear. The primary outcome was hemoglobin level after 4 months comparing anemic donors who received iron supplementation to the standard of care participants, nonanemic donors who did not receive iron supplementation. All donors received nutritional counseling.

Results
Adherence to low-dose iron supplementation three times a week was poor. Hemoglobin levels in the iron supplementation arm were not close enough to those in the control group after 4 months of iron supplementation to declare non-inferiority. However, non-inferiority was met when the 4 month hemoglobin comparison was restricted to female donors.

Conclusion
After 4 months of iron supplementation, hemoglobin levels in the iron supplementation group did not sufficiently match those in the control group to declare non-inferiority. Data from this pilot trial informed and shaped the design of a larger randomized control type 1 pragmatic effectiveness implementation hybrid trial which is currently ongoing.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QV Pharmacology > Hematologic Agents > QV 183 Iron. Iron compounds WH Hemic and Lymphatic Systems > Hematologic Diseases. Immunologic Factors. Blood Banks > WH 155 Anemia WH Hemic and Lymphatic Systems > Hematologic Diseases. Immunologic Factors. Blood Banks > WH 460 Blood bank procedures
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.18082
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Pubrouter
Depositing User:	JISC Pubrouter
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2025 10:51
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2025 10:51
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/25782

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