Generality
Blood donation consists in taking a certain volume of blood from a healthy person, called a donor, to then be able to transfer it to another person, called the recipient, who needs blood or one of its components.
Before being able to donate blood, an individual must pass a series of careful checks and tests, in order to assess the suitability of his state of health and the absence of any danger for the recipient.
Donating blood is a safe, simple and almost side-effect-free procedure.
The blood, which is donated, is collected as such or, more often, separated into its main components.
What is blood donation?
Blood donation consists in the collection of a certain volume of whole blood (about 450ml) from a healthy donor, and then transfused into a recipient in need of blood or its components.
Blood donations are an essential part of a nation's health system, as, without blood from voluntary donors, many therapeutic procedures could not take place and many lives could not be saved.
Coronavirus: indications for blood donation
The Coronavirus epidemic has led to a drop in blood donations for fear of possible infections, putting our National Health Service in front of a further difficulty. It is important that donations resume normally, because there is no risk for the donor health. The blood collection facilities are dedicated exclusively to donors. This means that scrupulous observance of all the safety regulations put in place to deal with the "emergency of these weeks is guaranteed. As reported on the official website of the" Istituto Superiore di Sanità, in fact: "In Italy over 1,800 patients are day in hospitals; these include many people suffering from diseases that require regular use of blood transfusions. For these reasons, donations cannot be deferred even at a time when the health system is facing an emergency such as that represented by the Sars-CoV-2 virus ". This is why it is very important to respond to the appeal of the transfusion services. Here is some important information.
- Contact the transfusion services to book the donation: In order to avoid queues, waiting and possible gatherings, it is important to call the reference structure or association to book the donation. In this way, the work of health personnel is made easier and all safety measures are scrupulously maintained.
- Preliminary telephone call from the donor: A telephone call before the donation will help the reference structure or association to make an assessment of the donor's health status. A few simple questions from the operator will help to understand if the candidate can proceed with the donation or if it is better to postpone it. In this way, moreover, a possible useless movement will be avoided.
- Each donor undergoes a visit: The medical examination will allow to rule out the presence of any symptoms related to 2019-nCoV.
- Communicate travel and travel: It is good to inform the doctor of the reference structure or association of the travels made, especially if in areas particularly affected by the Coronavirus.
- Notification of any symptoms: Notify the physician of the reference facility or association of symptoms such as: cough, fever, breathing difficulties. Symptoms must be reported in any case, even if they have disappeared.
- Onset of symptoms following donation Promptly notify the transfusion center if symptoms (cough, fever, breathing difficulties, or other) occur after donation.
- Good health: To donate blood it is necessary to be in perfect health: a simple cold is reason enough for exclusion.
- Transfers to / from the blood collection facilities: Transfers to go to the donation centers are allowed, in fact they are among the "situations of necessity". A certificate of donation can be requested for any checks on the way back home.
Sources: Ministry of Health; Higher Institute of Health.
Structures and associations for blood donation in Italy
- #ESCOSOLOPERDONARE is the AVIS campaign to invite people to donate blood in these very difficult days
- Salute Lazio provides an interactive map that allows you to select the nearest donation center
- the National Blood Center provides GEOBLOOD, a system to easily find the facility where to donate blood closest to us
- FIDAS adheres to the #ESCOPERDONARE campaign to encourage blood donations
HOW MANY DONATIONS ARE IN ITALY EVERY YEAR?
According to the official website of AVIS (Italian Voluntary Blood Associations), in Italy, in 2013, the volunteer donors, enrolled in this association, were 1,298,437, for a total of 2,105,934 donations made in 2013.
WHAT IS BLOOD COMPOSED OF?
Blood is made up of a set of cells, haemocytes, and a liquid part, called plasma.
Plasma makes up 55% of blood and is composed of water, mineral salts and colloidal proteins.
Hemocytes, which are found in suspension in plasma, make up the remaining 45% of the blood and are represented by three different cellular elements:
- Red blood cells (or erythrocytes) carry oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.
- White blood cells (or leukocytes) are part of the immune system and defend the body from pathogens and anything that can harm you.
- Platelets are a major player in clotting.
Blood flows through our body within a complicated (but very precise) system of arterial (arteries) and venous (veins) vessels.
THE BLOOD GROUPS
Human blood is not all the same, but it is characterized by some characteristics. These characteristics, which in fact correspond to the known blood groups, have been classified into systems. The best known and most common systems are the AB0 system and the Rh system.
In light of this, the blood of each individual depends on the blood group and can be compatible, the same or totally different from that of another person.
Who can and cannot donate?
Anyone aged between 18 and 60, weighing more than 50 kilograms, looking after their lifestyle and healthy and healthy can apply to become blood donors.
On the other hand, those who:
- They take drugs
- They are alcoholics
- Have sex with a high risk of transmitting infectious diseases (for example, casual, promiscuous, etc.)
- They chronically suffer from hepatitis or jaundice
- They suffer from a venereal disease
- They tested positive for syphilis
- They tested positive for AIDS (HIV)
- They tested positive for hepatitis C (anti-HCV)
- They tested positive for hepatitis B (HBsAg)
- They have had sexual intercourse with people with one of the previous conditions
Summary table.
Basic conditions for applying to become a donor
- Age: minimum, 18 years; maximum, 60 years (this is the age group suitable for applying to become whole blood donors, with exceptions in the opinion of the doctor)
- Age up to which you can donate: 65 years (this is the maximum age to continue the donation activity for periodic donors, with exceptions in the opinion of the doctor).
- Weight: more than 50 kilograms.
- Pulse: between 50/100 beats per minute (N.B: those who practice certain sports have an even lower heart rate; however these individuals can still make donors).
- Blood pressure: between 110 and 180 mm of mercury, the maximum (or systolic); between 60 and 100 mm of mercury, the minimum (or diastolic).
- State of health: the person must be healthy and in good, if not perfect, state of health.
- Lifestyle: healthy, i.e. no risky behavior.
THE BLOOD TESTS
For those who apply to become a donor, a blood sample and an "accurate analysis of the latter" is required, in order to establish whether the volunteer is actually a healthy person and not affected by one of the aforementioned pathological conditions.
But where are all the aforementioned checks carried out?
There are special hospitals, called transfusion centers, in which all the tests and withdrawals are carried out in order to become a donor. In Italy, there are about 340 transfusion centers.
WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO STOP THE DONOR ACTIVITY
In some situations, for the sake of those in need of blood transfusions, it is necessary to temporarily self-suspend from donor activities. For example, temporary self-suspension should be considered if in the last four months, one has undergone to cosmetic operations, such as tattoos, piercings, earrings; if in the days before or on the day of the donation, you suffer from a cold or "other similar viral infection (for example, a" flu); if you are taking antibiotics; etc.
In light of this, the concept that donating blood is not only an act of generosity, but also requires a sense of responsibility and sensibility, is quite clear.
Below is a list of the most common situations that require temporary self-suspension.
It is necessary to self-suspend from blood donations:
- When you recently underwent serious surgery.
- When you have undergone dental surgery.The self-suspension, in these cases, varies according to the type of operation: it can be only 24 hours, for a simple filling, or 7 days, for a dental extraction.
- When you have come into contact, for work or family reasons, with individuals suffering from more or less serious infectious diseases. For example, the medical and nursing staff of hospitals may have to treat patients with AIDS or hepatitis C. Although all the necessary protections exist, it is still advisable to wait some time before resuming donating blood, and possibly undergo new to blood tests.
- When, in the twelve months preceding a donation, he suffered from jaundice or hepatitis A.
- When you are pregnant or have recently given birth (the interruption is valid for up to 6 months).
- When, in the days close to the donation, there was antibiotic therapy.
- When, in the 4 months preceding a donation, one has been vaccinated against some infectious disease.
- When, near or on the day of the donation, you have suffered or are suffering from colds, sore throats, flu and other infectious diseases of a similar degree.
- When, in the last 4 months, you have had cosmetic operations, such as tattoos, piercings and earrings.
- When a country has been visited recently (maximum 6 months), in which malaria is endemic (i.e. typical of a particular territory).
- When suffering from temporary anemia. Anemia, in fact, is not always a chronic disorder, but it can also be a temporary condition (for example, the anemic state of women with heavy menstruation).
For any further information regarding self-suspension, just contact the nearest transfusion center.
How it takes place
N.B: everything that will be read in the next lines presupposes that the individual who wants to donate blood has already been considered suitable for donation.
Blood donation is a very simple, easy to perform and very low risk procedure, which takes no more than one hour in total.
First of all, to donate blood, the donor must go to a blood transfusion center (possibly the one where the candidate tests took place). Here, a doctor will ask you a series of questions, regarding your current and past health status, and several quick tests (blood pressure measurement, heart rate measurement, etc.), to make sure that no complications arise during or after the procedure. .
If all this ends in a positive way (that is, there are no contraindications to the donation), we move on to the actual blood sampling. The extracted quantities correspond to about 450 milliliters ± 10%.
Once the sample has been taken, it may be necessary to rest for a few hours, waiting for the possible senses of fainting and lightheadedness to disappear.
The blood collected by the transfusion center, before it can be used for therapeutic purposes, is carefully analyzed, to make sure of its goodness for the protection of possible recipients.
PREPARATION FOR DONATION
At the time of donation, it is advisable to have fasted for a few hours or, if it is not really possible to show up on an empty stomach, it is good to have a light meal, free of fats and sugars.
Generally, the withdrawals take place in the morning, therefore the above recommendations can be easily followed: in fact, you have returned from dinner the previous evening.
Attention: it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol before donating. The only drinks allowed are water, fruit juices with no added sugar, tea or coffee with little sugar.
ON-SITE CHECK-UP: QUESTIONNAIRE AND BLOOD CHECKS
If it is your first donation, when you arrive at the blood transfusion center, you are informed about how the whole procedure will go.
If, on the other hand, you are a regular donor, you immediately move on to the next phase, that is, that of the questionnaire and checks, relating to the state of health.
Questions are usually asked by a doctor, who essentially wants to know if the donor:
- He is fine and healthy.
- He has been suffering from some illness in the last few months. If so, which one.
- He underwent surgery, dentistry, cosmetics, etc.
- Have had casual sex or sex with a new partner in the last few months.
Obviously, the utmost honesty is required.
The checks concern the measurement of blood pressure, heart rate and, finally, how much hemoglobin is contained in the blood (see next sub-chapter).
CHECK-UP FOR ANEMIA
Among the various pre-donation checks, there is a particular one, which evaluates the amount of hemoglobin contained in the donor's blood. Hemoglobin is the fundamental protein of red blood cells (or erythrocytes), which carries oxygen in the human body .
When the hemoglobin present in the blood is low or when the red blood cells, which contain it, are few, we speak of anemia or anemic state. Anemia can be chronic or temporary. Chronic anemia is usually a severe and stable condition, linked to a genetic mutation or a serious disease; temporary anemia, on the other hand, is a transient condition, which can arise at certain particular moments in a person's life.
The main symptoms of anemia:
- Tiredness
- Apathy
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
Why, before a blood donation, is the hemoglobin present in the donor's blood quantified?
In light of what has been said about the function and deficiency of hemoglobin, it can be understood that taking blood from an individual suffering from temporary anemia can further aggravate their state of health.
Therefore, a donor who is anemic at the time of donation must refrain from the donation and postpone everything to another occasion. In the meantime, a consultation with your doctor is recommended, especially if you periodically suffer from temporary anemia.
The check-up for anemia takes place very quickly, thanks to a special instrument, and requires the collection of a minimum amount of blood.
THE WITHDRAWAL
Once it has been established that the donor is healthy and well, and that there are no contraindications to the donation, we move on to the collection.
First of all, a rubber lace (tourniquet) is tied around an arm, which serves to enlarge and better emphasize the vein, from which the blood will be drawn.
At this point, the infusion set is, in turn, connected to a bag or container: only after this operation does the aspiration of the blood begin.
The quantities of blood liquid withdrawn correspond to about 450 milliliters; this is not a large amount, if we consider that it is about 10% of the blood circulating in our body and that our body restores it within a few hours.
The withdrawal procedure alone takes 10-15 minutes, no longer.
CHECKS ON DONATED BLOOD
The blood extracted from the donor, before it can be used for therapeutic purposes, must be carefully analyzed, for safety reasons.
Only once it has passed all the laboratory tests and is found not contaminated by viruses and other pathogens (AIDS virus, hepatitis C virus, etc.), is it inserted into the so-called blood banks. A "blood bank is a refrigerated cabinet built specifically for storing blood bags.
THE FIRST FEELINGS AFTER THE DONATION
After the donation is finished, the donor is likely to feel faint or slightly lightheaded. It is a normal consequence, for which one should not be alarmed, but only rest, eat something and drink enough.
Warnings: smokers are advised not to smoke for at least a couple of hours, from when the donation was completed.
THE COLATERAL EFFECTS
Donating blood is a safe procedure. However, in some cases, it can lead to side effects of varying degrees.
- Appearance of a bruise in the skin area, where the sampling took place. It happens to about one in every 4 people.
- Sore arm. It occurs in about one case every 10.
- Dizziness and fainting. It happens to about one in every 15 donors.
The appearance of complications more serious than those mentioned above is very rare and occurs in one donor in 3,500.
Uses of donated blood
Thanks to the blood collected from donors, many human lives can be saved. The so-called blood transfusions, in fact, are foreseen in many surgical interventions and in the treatment of many blood diseases.
The blood can be used as it was collected (whole blood), or after having separated it into some of its components. It is, in fact, possible to use only plasma, only red blood cells or only platelets, depending on the cases that arise from time to time.
Unlike in the past, today, whole blood transfusion is very rare, as that of a single component is much more convenient and effective.
HOW ARE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF BLOOD SEPARATED?
The breakdown of blood, into its liquid and cellular components, takes place by means of special separators, which work according to the principle of centrifugation.
Indeed, there is the possibility of withdrawing, during a donation, only one blood component, returning all the others to the donor. This operation, called apheresis, is carried out in the following way: the blood is taken, as if it were a normal donation, but, instead of keeping it all in a bag, it is immediately passed through a separator. Withheld and collected aside from the desired component, what remains of the blood is returned to the donor.
Plasmapheresis is the separation of plasma, which is the liquid part of the blood, from cellular components. Platelet apheresis is the separation of platelets from plasma and the remaining cellular component. Erythropheresis is the separation of red blood cells from plasma and what remains of other cells.
N.B: there is also leukapheresis, which is the separation of white blood cells from the rest of the blood components, but it is a practice carried out very rarely.
RED BLOOD CELLS
The storage and use of red blood cells alone is used for the treatment of some forms of anemia, such as sickle cell anemia (or sickle cell anemia), and in all those cases in which an individual has lost large amounts of blood (for example , after a birth, a traffic accident, an organ transplant surgery, etc.).
Red blood cells contain oxygen, therefore their infusion serves to restore part of the lost oxygen quota.
Figure: a bag of blood plasma only
PLASMA
Plasma contains many fundamental proteins (for example, albumin), keeps the volume of circulating blood constant and carries with it nutritional elements, which feed the tissues and cells of the organism.
It is used most often after childbirth or after heart surgery.
To be stored, the plasma must be frozen: in this state, it can last up to 12 months.
PLATES
Platelets, thanks to their coagulating power, are administered when an individual suffers from bleeding, caused by damage to the bone marrow.
The bone marrow is a soft tissue which is responsible for producing all blood cells.
Platelet infusion is particularly suitable for leukemia patients.
Other types of donation
Alongside the described venous blood donation, there is another "which goes to take the blood from the placenta of a mother or from the umbilical cord of a newborn, at the time of birth.
What is the purpose of donating umbilical or placental blood?
In addition to the traditional blood elements (haemocytes and plasma), the placenta and umbilical cord contain a certain amount of extraordinary cells, the so-called hematopoietic stem cells.
HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS - THE SAMPLE
Hematopoietic stem cells, also called bone marrow cells, are the progenitor cells of the blood. They possess the ability to continuously replicate and choose whether to become red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets.
Thanks to their potential, they represent a possible treatment for blood diseases, such as leukemia and some diseases of the immune system, which are characterized by "insufficient activity of the bone marrow.
The collection of umbilical or placental stem cells occurs immediately after a baby is born. It requires parental consent, but it is not risky, neither for the mother nor for the newborn.
The procedure is very simple and consists of storing the umbilical cord and / or placenta in a special cold room.
Frequent questions
Is donating blood dangerous?
Donating blood does not involve any risk for the donor. The whole procedure, in fact, takes place in absolute sterility and involves the taking of one's own blood.
How long does it take between two whole blood donations?
At least 12 weeks for men and at least 16 for women. However, sometimes no distinction is made between males and females and we speak, for both sexes, of 90 days.
How many blood donations can be made per year?
The annual frequency varies according to sex. The man must not exceed 4 donations per year, while the woman of childbearing age must not exceed 2 donations per year.
Is blood donation contraindicated for women?
No, there is no type of contraindication, as long as the annual frequency is respected. More than two donations a year, in fact, could cause iron and hemoglobin deficiencies (anemia). If a donor is subject to heavy menstruation, she can always resort to plasmapheresis.
Why is it important that there are so many donors?
The more blood donors there are, the more blood is available for therapeutic transfusions. However, it would be limiting to say that this is the only advantage. In fact, the possibility of counting on many donors guarantees a greater availability of different blood, also belonging to rare blood groups.
Blood donation associations look for regular donors. What does it mean?
Periodic blood donors are those who go to or plan to donate blood at regular intervals. Those who donate blood periodically are much more controlled and more reliable than the occasional donor.
Blood donation associations seek and use periodic donors to ensure a safe service and protect recipients.
