The effect of donation frequency on donor health in blood donors donating plasma by plasmapheresis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background The demand for plasma products is growing, necessitating an increase in plasma collection by plasmapheresis. While the 20th edition of the European Guidelines permits plasma donors in Europe to donate with 96-h donation intervals, the potential short- and long-term consequences of high-frequency plasma donations on donor health remain unknown. This study aims to measure the effect of plasma donation frequency on plasma protein composition, including total serum protein (TSP) and immunoglobulin G (IgG), in Norwegian male blood donors.

Methods This randomized controlled trial (RCT) included 120 male blood donors who were randomized into two intervention groups and one control group: high-frequency plasma donors (HFPDs) who donated 650 mL of plasma 3 times every 2 weeks, whereas regular-frequency plasma donors (RFPDs) who donated 650 mL of plasma 1 time every 2 weeks. The control group consisted of whole blood donors. The primary outcomes are the concentrations of TSP and IgG.

Discussion The findings from this study may have implications for recommendations related to donor health and plasma donation frequencies and may contribute to supporting the strategic independence of plasma products in Norway and Europe without compromising donor health.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05179200. Registered December 20th, 2021.