{
  "abstract": "Introduction\n\nIn Switzerland, platelet (PLT) donation is allowed with hemoglobin (Hb) ≥110 g/L and ≥120 g/L for women and men, respectively. We report on a policy of proposing PLT apheresis to female donors no longer eligible for whole blood (WB) donation because of low Hb and/or iron deficiency.Methods\n\nWe assessed 85 women with Hb <125 g/L and/or ferritin ≤ 15 µg/L who changed to PLT apheresis between 01/1997 and 12/2023 and underwent at least one PLT apheresis/year. Hb and ferritin were evaluated at the first WB donation, at the first and last PLT apheresis and were estimated as adjusted values over 30 PLT donations. Donor retention over a 24-month period was evaluated.Results\n\nThe switch to PLT apheresis occurred after a median of 3 (range: 1-33) WB donations. In 42 women (49%), both Hb and ferritin were low, 32 (38%) had low ferritin, and 11 (13%) low Hb only, respectively. Median age (range) at first WB donation and at last PLT donation was 30 years (18-53 years) and 45 years (19-68 years), respectively. Median (range) Hb and ferritin were 134 g/L (120-153 g/L) and 24 µg/L (2-177 µg/L) at the first WB donation and 130 g/L (103-154 g/L) and 14.5 µg/L (3-113 µg/L) at the last PLT apheresis. Over the course of 30 PLT donations and adjusted for donor age, an increasing trend was observed for both Hb (mean + 0.26 g/L; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.35; p < 0.001) and ferritin (mean + 0.48 µg/L; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.75; p < 0.001). At the end of a 24-month period, 94% (95% CI: 86.4%, 97.5%) women were still donating.Conclusion\n\nWomen with low Hb and/or iron deficiency benefit from a change to PLT donation and can be retained as regular, highly committed PLT donors.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Regional Blood Transfusion Center Northwestern Switzerland, Swiss Red Cross, Switzerland.",
    "Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.",
    "University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Laura Infanti"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Vildana Pehlic"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Thomas Volken"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Gregor Stehle"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Andreas Holbro"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Andreas Buser"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4rn3t2fnnabnj.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1159/tmh/aevag005",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685815",
  "id": "4rn3t2fnnabnj",
  "issns": [
    "1660-3796",
    "1660-3818"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910004",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1405|Blood donation and transfusion practices"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221343530",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685815?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13685815",
  "pmid": "42910004",
  "published": "2026-10-10",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4rn3t2fnnabnj.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42910004",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910004"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "journal-openalex:F27",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Platelet Donation by Apheresis for Female Blood Donors with Low Hemoglobin or Iron Deficiency.",
  "title_text": "Platelet Donation by Apheresis for Female Blood Donors with Low Hemoglobin or Iron Deficiency.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4rn3t2fnnabnj",
  "venue": "Transfusion medicine and hemotherapy : offizielles Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhamatologie",
  "versions": []
}