Journal of Medical Sciences and Health Care Research
Impact of Repeated Blood Donations on Erythrocyte Indices Among Blood Donation Candidates in Luanda, Angola
Abstract
Cruz S. Sebastiao, Felicia Comandante, Joao Vigario, Joana MK Sebastiao, Michel Machado, Eunice Manico, Edson Cassinela, Mauricio da Costa, Eduardo Ekundi-Valentim, Euclides Sacomboio, Joana Morais and Deodete Machado
Background Blood donation safety is a critical challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where anaemia and iron deficiency are prevalent among donor populations. This study evaluated the impact of repeated blood donations on erythrocyte indices among blood donation candidates in Luanda, Angola.
Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 189 blood donors between June 2025 and February 2026. Participants were classified according to donation frequency, age, gender, and donor type. Erythrocyte indices including mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red cell distribution width (RDW), haemoglobin, haematocrit, and reticulocyte count, were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test (p<0.05).
Results Of 189 donors, 92.6% had ≤2 donations and 7.4% had >2 donations. No differences in erythrocyte indices were observed between donation frequency groups (p>0.05). Overall, median erythrocyte indices were MCV (75.2 fL, 69.6– 82.8), MCH (24.1 pg, 21.9–26.8), MCHC (31.9 g/dL, 31.3–32.5), RDW (42.9 fL, 40.3–46.6), haemoglobin (11.5 g/ dL, 10.8–12.2), haematocrit (35.4%, 33.2–38.0), and reticulocytes (0.07%, 0.05–0.09). Gender was determinant of erythrocyte status, with male donors showing higher haemoglobin (12.0 vs 11.0 g/dL, p<0.001) and haematocrit (36.7% vs 34.0%, p<0.001) than females.
Conclusions Donation frequency was not associated with erythrocyte index differences, but low population-level haemoglobin and MCV values indicate a high baseline burden of anaemia and iron depletion in Angolan donors.