Donor health beyond donation: cardiovascular risk factors in blood donor populations. A cross-sectional study.

Overview

A cross-sectional investigation examining the prevalence of subclinical cardiovascular disease risk factors among blood donor populations despite established eligibility screening protocols. The study documents the presence of undetected CVD risk markers in donors who met standard transfusion service criteria for donation eligibility.

Methods and approach

The research employed a cross-sectional study design to assess cardiovascular risk factors in blood donor cohorts. Donors underwent systematic evaluation for subclinical CVD indicators, with analysis conducted within the existing framework of donor health assessment and eligibility screening procedures utilized by transfusion services.

Key Findings

A substantial proportion of enrolled donors demonstrated subclinical cardiovascular disease risk factors despite satisfying current eligibility screening requirements. These findings indicate that standard donor screening protocols, while effective for transfusion safety objectives, do not comprehensively identify all donors exhibiting CVD risk markers.

Implications

The results establish that transfusion services occupy a strategic position within the healthcare system beyond their primary function of ensuring donor and recipient safety. The blood donor population represents an accessible cohort for cardiovascular risk identification and intervention, presenting opportunities for secondary prevention and early detection initiatives. Transfusion services can leverage their existing infrastructure and donor contact mechanisms to contribute to population-level cardiovascular disease surveillance and prevention efforts, thereby extending their public health utility.

Disclosure

Key points

• Research title: Donor health beyond donation: cardiovascular risk factors in blood donor populations. A cross-sectional study.
• Authors: Ivica Marić
• Publication date: 2026-03-07
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2450/bloodtransfus.1191
• OpenAlex record: View
• Image credit: Photo by Navy Medicine on Unsplash (Source • License)
• Disclosure: This post was generated by Claude (Anthropic). The original authors did not write or review this post.