[Prescreening of the activity of alanine aminotransferase enhances the cost-effectiveness of blood storage].

The cost-effectiveness of prescreening for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was evaluated in blood donors before donation. Since September 15, 2006, the Krasnodar Territory blood transfusion station has examined more than 32 thousand donors in this fashion. A Reflotron Plus biochemical analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Switzerland) was used. In 2008, 1230 subjects with increased ALT activity were withdrawn from donation. A total of 17,096 persons were examined. Their examination cost 1,219,457.8 rubles. Non-productive outlays of 7,773,919.8 rubles were prevented. The savings amounted to 6,554,462.12 rubles. Prescreening for ALT was found to be cost-effective if the rate of positive results in the donor population was 1.13% or more.