Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42227029›Full record

Observational studyVox sanguinis2026

Plasma donation rates and infection risk: A multicentre observational study in Denmark.

Kathrine Agergård Kaspersen, István Barkos, Lotte Hindhede, Susan Mikkelsen, Khoa Manh Dinh, Nanna Brøns, Jacob Træholt, Christina Mikkelsen, Jakob Thaning Bay, Ole Birger Vesterager Pedersen and 9 more

Abstract readObservational StudyMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Vox sanguinis, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Kathrine Agergård KaspersenDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
István BarkosDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Center for Population Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Lotte HindhedeDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Susan MikkelsenDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7806-1143
Khoa Manh DinhDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Nanna BrønsDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jacob TræholtDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Christina MikkelsenDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2945-6197
Jakob Thaning BayDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital, Køge, Denmark.
Ole Birger Vesterager PedersenDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital, Køge, Denmark.
Sisse Rye OstrowskiDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Erik SørensenDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Bitten AagaardDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Mie Topholm BruunDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Henrik HjalgrimDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
Klaus RostgaardDepartment of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6220-9414
Henrik UllumStatens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
Erzsébet Horváth-PuhóDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Center for Population Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Christian ErikstrupDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

Funding

Novo Nordisk Fonden NNF17OC0027594Novo Nordisk Fonden NNF17OC0027864Novo Nordisk Fonden NNF23OC0082015Novo Nordisk Fonden NNF23OC0086419The Bio- and Genome Bank DenmarkThe Danish Administrative Regions 02/2611The Danish Blood Donor Research FoundationThe Danish Council for Independent Research 09-069412
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesThe demand for plasma-derived medicinal products underscores the need to assess health effects of plasma donation. This study examines the association between plasma donation rates and infection risk in a country with voluntary, non-remunerated donation. MATERIALS AND

methodsFrom 2016 to 2024, 45,615 first-time plasma donors were enrolled in a cohort study with time-varying exposure. Follow-up began 90 days after the first plasma donation, with donation rates recalculated every 90 days. Donation rates were categorized as 0, 1 (reference), 2-3, 4-5 or 6-8 donations. Infection was defined using Danish health registers. Survival models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

resultsThe median plasma donation rate was 2 (Q1, 1; Q3, 4). During follow-up, 15,498 donors experienced an infection. A trend of decreasing HRs for infection was observed with higher donation rates compared with a single donation (0 donations: HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.86-0.93; 2-3 donations: HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.81-0.89; 4-5 donations: HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.59-0.72; and 6-8 donations: HR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.36-0.62). Findings were consistent across multiple regression models.

conclusionIn this study, higher plasma donation rates were associated with lower infection risk. Importantly, this inverse association is likely due to bias inherent to observational designs, particularly the internal healthy donor effect, which limits interpretation. Thus, no causal relationship between plasma donation rates and infection risk can be inferred. This underscores the challenges of assessing plasma donation safety using non-randomized data.

Indexed as

Blood DonationInfectionsAdultDenmarkFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRisk Factorsbiasinfection riskobservational studyplasma donationthe healthy donor effect

Identifiers

PMID42227029
PMCPMC13563483

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.