A study on vasovagal reaction of high school students participating in group blood donation

Wee, Jai Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Vasovagal reaction(VVR) is the most common side reaction of blood donor reactions. The frequencies of VVR have not been yet reported among blood donors in Korea. This study was carried out to investigate VVR among high school students who participated in blood donation. The frequencies of VVR were compared according to sex, experience of blood donation and season. Symptoms, manifesting time and recovery time of VVR were evaluated with the rates and causes of deferral for blood donation.
METHODS
11,607 male and 7,442 female high school students residing in Pusan area who participated in group blood donation were evaluated on their VVR from November, 1996 to July, 1997.
RESULTS
The rates of deferral for blood donation were 1.9% and 20.7% in male and female candidates for blood donation, respectively. The most common cause of deferral was low specific gravity of blood in both sexes. Frequencies of VVR were 0.39% and 2.0% in male and female donors, respectively. 2.86% of females and 0.42% of males who gave first blood donation experienced VVR. The frequency of VVR in female donors was higher in summer than in autumn and winter season. 60.5% of male donors and 77.3% of female donors manifested VVR within 5 minutes from blood donation. Dizziness and pale were the most common symptoms in male donors but dizziness, pale and nausea were the most common symtoms in female. 95.4% of male donors and 95.3% of female donors were recoverd from VVR within 10 minutes.
CONCLUSION
VVR frequency of female donors was higher than that of male donors and it showed higher in females who gave first blood donation than in any other donors. Because the frequency of VVR in female donors showed higher in summer than in autumn and winter season, attention should be given to group blood donation of female high school students in summer season for the prevention of accidents from blood donation.