2018 Volume 64 Issue 6 Pages 718-725
Effective measures for preventing Vasovagal reaction (VVR) have not yet been developed on apheresis donations.
This study investigated the potential to predict VVR from fluctuations in peripheral blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. Data were collected from 354 individuals who donated platelets. To calculate the level for issuing VVR alert, the percent decrease in blood flow (DBF) was calculated. The time from alert to VVR was estimated for three DBF levels, and the detection performance of each alert level was calculated.
Mean maximum DBF in the VVR group was 64.7±13.7%, which was significantly higher than the 25.6±11.7% in the non-VVR group. At a maximum DBF threshold of 45%, sensitivity for discriminating between VVR and non-VVR donors was 93.3% and accuracy was 94.4%. When 45% DBF was used as the alert level, alerts were issued for 44 donors, including 25 in the VVR group. Mean time from alert to diagnosis in the VVR group was 4.04±4.35 minutes, and accuracy of the alert was 56.8%.
We found that it is possible to predict VVR early enough before onset to intervene by monitoring DBF in real time during blood collection using laser Doppler flowmetry.
