Abstract
Background: The objective of this study was to determine complete blood count (CBC) abnormalities in Libreville blood donors to advocate for hemoglobin pre-donation implementation and to take into account CBC results in blood donation qualification.
 Methods: This retrospective study was conducted with 4573 blood donors in March 2016 and from January to April 2017. CBC was performed using SysmexXP-300TM hematology analyzer (SYSMEX Corporation, Kobe, Japan).
 Results: Blood donors were predominantly males (83.7%) with an age ranging from 18 to 59 years. The abnormalities of leukocyte, platelet and erythrocyte counts were determined in blood donors. Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were significantly more common in men than women (29.02% vs 24.4%, p = 0.011 and 16.2% vs 7.5%, p <0.001). Only 1.0% of women and 0.84% of men have leukocytosis, and 0.7% of women and 0.2% of men have thrombocytosis. Anemia was significantly more common in women compared to men (69.4% vs. 45.0%, P <0.001). Normocytic normochromic and normocytic hypochromic anemia were most common among Libreville blood donors with 39.4% and 23.6%; followed by microcytic normochromic (18.7%) and microcytic hypochromic (13.2%) anemia. Normocytic normochromic and normocytic hypochromic anemia were significantly more common in men than in women, whereas microcytic normochromic anemia was more prevalent among women compared to men (34.6% vs. 13.9%, p <0.001).
 Conclusions: The results of this study clearly show the need to perform a pre-donation hemoglobin test in blood donors and to take into account their hemogram in the blood donation selection process at the Libreville National Blood Transfusion Center.
 Keywords: Hemogram, Anemia, Blood Donors, Libreville, Gabon.
Highlights
Blood transfusion is a therapeutic procedure that saves lives by providing patients with the blood products they need according to their disease
The results show that women were significantly more frequently anemic than men (69.4% vs 45%, p < 0.001), while leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were significantly more common in men than women (29.02% vs 24.4%, p = 0.011 and 16.2% vs 7.5%, p < 0.001) (Table 4)
In Libreville blood donors, we observed that red cell parameters (RBC, Hb, HCT, and MCV) were higher in men compared to women
Summary
Blood transfusion is a therapeutic procedure that saves lives by providing patients with the blood products they need according to their disease. The stages of the transfusion chain that begin with the reception of the blood donor and end with the transfusion of the compatible blood product to the recipient are essential to observe in order to guarantee the quality of the transfused products [2] One of these most important steps is the blood donation qualification by the transfusion physician during the pre-donation interview [3]. The objective of this study was to determine complete blood count (CBC) abnormalities in Libreville blood donors to advocate for hemoglobin pre-donation implementation and to take into account CBC results in blood donation qualification.
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