madman
Super Moderator
Therapeutic Phlebotomy for Testosterone-Induced Polycythemia
A Blood Center's Perspective
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate therapeutic phlebotomy (TP) requests for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and to highlight the impact to a blood center (BC) or service that provides TP for individuals on TRT.
Methods: Review of TP requests for individuals on TRT at our BC over a 3-year period from 2014 through 2016, as well as the total number of TP collections.
Results: Total TPs during 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 475, 500, and 569, respectively. Annual TP collections for patients on TRT were 193, 212, and 239, respectively. TRT patients with TP orders increased 71.4% during this period. After discontinuation of TP services for TRT at our BC, 32% continued to donate as volunteer blood donors at our BC.
Conclusions: Our BC observed increased TP requests for patients on TRT from 2014 through 2016. Our findings suggest that individuals on TRT may be presenting to BCs as volunteer blood donors to avoid charges for TP.
Conclusions
Our blood center observed an increased number of TP requests for polycythemia secondary to TRT from 2014 through 2016, consistent with increased prevalence of TRT in recent years cited in the literature due to marketing efforts for hormonal rejuvenation in men. After discontinuation of providing TP services for patients on TRT, we discovered that 32% of individuals with previous orders returned to donate as voluntary blood donors without indicating a need for TP. Our findings suggest that patients with TRT-induced polycythemia may be presenting to blood centers as voluntary blood donors to avoid TP charges.
A Blood Center's Perspective
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate therapeutic phlebotomy (TP) requests for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and to highlight the impact to a blood center (BC) or service that provides TP for individuals on TRT.
Methods: Review of TP requests for individuals on TRT at our BC over a 3-year period from 2014 through 2016, as well as the total number of TP collections.
Results: Total TPs during 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 475, 500, and 569, respectively. Annual TP collections for patients on TRT were 193, 212, and 239, respectively. TRT patients with TP orders increased 71.4% during this period. After discontinuation of TP services for TRT at our BC, 32% continued to donate as volunteer blood donors at our BC.
Conclusions: Our BC observed increased TP requests for patients on TRT from 2014 through 2016. Our findings suggest that individuals on TRT may be presenting to BCs as volunteer blood donors to avoid charges for TP.
Conclusions
Our blood center observed an increased number of TP requests for polycythemia secondary to TRT from 2014 through 2016, consistent with increased prevalence of TRT in recent years cited in the literature due to marketing efforts for hormonal rejuvenation in men. After discontinuation of providing TP services for patients on TRT, we discovered that 32% of individuals with previous orders returned to donate as voluntary blood donors without indicating a need for TP. Our findings suggest that patients with TRT-induced polycythemia may be presenting to blood centers as voluntary blood donors to avoid TP charges.
