Abstract
BackgroundWith aging of the population, screening and prevention health programs for blood donors will increasingly be a priority. We aimed at: assessing the 10 year-cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in blood donors, according to Italian CUORE risk score (CRS); determining the association of homocysteine (Hcy), lipoprotein (Lp)(a) and socio-demographic or lifestyle variables with estimated 10-year CVD risk.MethodsBetween June 2015 and July 2017, 1,447 (61.2% men) unselected blood donors (aged 18–69 years) were enrolled at the Blood Transfusion Service of the Pescara General Hospital, Italy. The project entailed evaluation of unalterable (age and gender) and modifiable CV risk factors (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, smoking, hypertension). The educational attainment, socio-demographic and lifestyle behavior information were obtained through a structured self-report questionnaire, and Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) through the Short Form Survey (SF-12). Plasma Hcy and Lp(a) were determined in the fasting state.ResultsA CRS within the moderate-high risk range was reported in 21.7% donors. Multivariate logistic regression, after adjustment for clinical and demographic variables, showed that Hcy [OR (95% CI): 1.09 (1.04–1.13); p < 0.001) and low educational attainment [1.71 (1.09–2.73); p = 0.019] are independent risk factors for moderate-to-high CVD risk. Instead, Lp(a), evaluated in 774 donors, was > 30 mg/dL in 22.4% of the examined population, but without any significant correlation with CRS.ConclusionsOur study highlights a previously unappreciated need for CV risk assessment in blood donors, which may include evaluation of educational attainment as a non-traditional risk marker.
Highlights
With aging of the population, screening and prevention health programs for blood donors will increasingly be a priority
Because most blood donors belong to the age group of 18 to 65 years and the majority of blood recipients are in the age group > 65 years, the ratio between these 2 population groups is relevant for the blood supply/demand relationship
Distribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and clinical parameters of the overall study population are reported in Table 1, as well as the characteristics of the two blood donors subgroups stratified according tolow and moderate to high 10-years CVD risk
Summary
With aging of the population, screening and prevention health programs for blood donors will increasingly be a priority. Because most blood donors belong to the age group of 18 (or 16 years in some countries) to 65 years and the majority of blood recipients are in the age group > 65 years, the ratio between these 2 population groups is relevant for the blood supply/demand relationship This ratio will change substantially during the decade [1]. Aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate traditional and non traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including homocysteinemia and lipoprotein (a); (2) to assess the 10 year-risk for CVD in blood donors over the age of 35 years, according to Italian CUORE risk score (CRS); (3) to determine the association of Hcy and Lp(a) with estimated 10-year risk of CVD; (4) to determine the association of sociodemographic and lifestyle variables with estimated 10-year risk of CVD
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