Longitudinal assessment of erythrogram parameters in response to granulocytapheresis frequency: A sex-based analysis.

Background and objectives: Granulocyte transfusion supports patients with severe neutropenia. Maintaining a pool of eligible donors and optimizing donation frequency are essential for ensuring an adequate supply while safeguarding donor well-being. This study investigates the impact of donation frequency on erythrogram parameters, focusing on sex-specific differences.

Study design and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 343 successive granulocyte collections from 65 apheresis donors over 11 years (2012-2023). Donors were categorized by sex, and erythrogram parameters were analysed in relation to donation frequency and intervals.

Results: Frequent donations within a short inter-donation interval (≥3 in 14 days) affected subsequent pre-donation haemoglobin levels. Each additional donation within 14 days led to a decrease of 0.81 g/dL in haemoglobin (p = 0.017). A significant interaction between sex and donations within 14 days (β = 0.76, p = 0.018) indicated that frequent donations had a more pronounced negative effect on haemoglobin levels in female donors. The proportion of donations meeting the pre-donation haemoglobin eligibility criteria declined with each successive donation within 14 days (100% at first, 85.8% at second, 25% at third). Female donors showed a significant haemoglobin reduction over three donations within 14 days (13.4-11.6 g/dL, p = 0.005) compared to males (14.4 -14 g/dL, p = 0.95).

Conclusion: Short inter-donation intervals have a more pronounced negative effect on pre-donation haemoglobin levels in female donors, underscoring the need for individualized donation guidelines to ensure donor safety.