Serum Neopterin: A Potential Marker for Screening Blood Donors.

OBJECTIVE

To determine serum neopterin levels in blood donors of local population and its association with transfusion transmitted infections.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional observational study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Department of Physiology, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College (LNHMC) in collaboration with Basic Medical Sciences Institute (BMSI) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Blood Bank, Karachi, Pakistan, from January to June 2015.

METHODOLOGY

During this period, a total of 174 blood donors were selected through random sampling technique. All participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria involving apparently healthy blood donors of either gender within the age bracket of 18 - 60 years and consenting to participate were selected. The participants were screened for transfusion transmitted infections as per WHO recommendations through the standard procedures used for screening at the JPMC blood bank. The demographic profile, anthropometric measurements and vitals were recorded for every participant. Serum neopterin was measured using ELISA kits. Data was analysed on SPSS version 21. ANOVA and chi-square tests were applied as tests of significance at a p-value of <0.05.

RESULTS

The neopterin content in the sera of disease negative blood donors was 6.23 ±2.19 nmol/l as compared to disease positive blood donors, in whom the neopterin level was increased to 15.10 ±4.93 nmol/l (p =0.001).

CONCLUSION

The neopterin assay has the potential to detect a number of transfusion transmissible viral diseases; which may, or may not be revealed by the usually employed battery of routine tests. We conclude that the risk of transfusion transmitted pathogens in our population can be reduced significantly, using neopterin assay as a routine in blood banks.