Polycythaemia and raised haemoglobin - Whole Blood and Components

Essential information

Obligatory

Must not donate.

Discretionary

If specialist investigation has excluded polycythaemia rubra vera, or another myeloproliferative neoplasm, and no treatment or further investigation is planned, the donor can be accepted for whole blood donation or for double red cell donation. Donors with a haemoglobin above the normal range should not usually be accepted for plasma or platelet donation.

Supporting information

See if relevant

• Cardiovascular disease
• Haematological disease
• Haemoglobin disorders
• Haemoglobin estimation
• Respiratory disease

Additional information

In men, haemoglobin concentrations in excess of 180 g/L or red cell counts in excess of 6.5 × 10¹² and in women, haemoglobin concentrations in excess of 165 g/L or red cell counts in excess of 5.6 × 10¹² should be repeated. If found to be persistently raised the donor should not be accepted and referred for investigation.

Polycythaemia is commonly linked to malignant or pre-malignant conditions or to the body's response to a shortage of oxygen. Apparent polycythaemia is caused by a decreased plasma volume. All of these are reasons not to accept a donation, either because of the association with malignancy, or because of the potential to harm the donor.

Individuals with 'high affinity' haemoglobins can develop polycythaemia because of the reduced oxygen carrying capacity of their blood. This would be detrimental to a recipient of their blood and donation may be harmful to the donor. For these reasons they should not be accepted.

Reason for change:

Clarification of the suitable donation types for donors with a haemoglobin above the normal range has been added.

Version details:

WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 58 (22 June 2021)