The evaluation of cardiovascular hemodinamics and aortic stiffness properties in healthy adult blood donors

In this study, we aimed to show the early changes in cardiovascular hemodynamics and aortic stiffness parameters after blood donation. The study included 30 healthy volunteer blood donors who did not have any known disease and age ranged between 20 and 42 years (93% male) and 30 healthy control group with similar characteristics. 24 h Mobil-O-Graph Monitor PWA arteriograph device was used for the measurement of blood pressure and aortic stiffness which uses oscillometric method. Measurements were performed at baseline and repeated after 450 ml of blood donation in these study group and after 5 minutes of rest in the control group. There was no statistically significant change between basal and repeated measurements in hemodynamic parameters and aortic stiffness characteristics of the control group. The systolic and mean blood pressures and pulse pressure were decreased after blood donation in donors, however, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate didn't change. An average of 4.5 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure was observed. Similar to changes in peripheral blood pressure, central systolic and pulse pressures were also decreased. There was no change in cardiac output or cardiac index. While there was a non-significant decrease in augmentation pressure and augmentation index; the pulse wave velocity decreased significantly after blood donation. While, there was a strong positive correlation between the change in pulse wave velocity and systolic blood pressure after blood donation (r=0.882, p<0.001); the power of the correlation between the change in augmentation index and heart rate was moderate (r=0.474, p=0.008). In our study, we showed that the improvements in aortic stiffness parameters after blood donation were due to decrease in systolic blood pressure.