Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The discard rate of blood services as a crucial quality metric for monitoring and enhancing blood safety within blood bank operations. This study investigated the prevalence and underlying causes of discarded blood and its associated components at a blood center in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis examined data pertaining to discarded blood and its components from 2019 to 2022. Information was retrieved from the blood center's electronic blood information management system. RESULTS: A total of 71,346 units of whole blood and blood components (representing a discard rate of 2.34%) were discarded. The discard rates exhibited variation across different blood components: whole blood (0.15%), red blood cells (2.24%), fresh frozen plasma (4.20%), frozen plasma (5.05%), cryoprecipitate antihemophilic factor (0.91%), platelets (0.33%), and washed red blood cells (0.03%). Statistical analysis revealed a significant association (P < 0.05) between the reasons for discarding blood and the actual discard events. CONCLUSION: This study presents a comparative analysis of discard rates and their corresponding justifications within a single blood center in China. The findings contribute to the advancement of quality control measures for blood and its components within blood service operations.