JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Central Nervous System Disease

Excludes

Cerebrovascular disease and all forms of intracranial haemorrhage.

Obligatory

Must not donate if has or has had:
a) Dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease).

b) A history of CNS disease of unknown aetiology or suspected infective origin. These include, but are not limited to, neurodegenerative conditions, multiple sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis, clinically isolated syndrome, and transverse myelitis.

c) Malignant tumour.

d) Parkinson's Disease

e) If having symptoms related to hypotension while taking dopamine receptor agonist drugs such as rotigotine, ropinirole and pramipexole.

Discretionary

a) Individuals who have had Bell's palsy more than four weeks ago and have discontinued any treatment for the condition for at least seven days, once investigated and discharged from specialist follow-up even if they have residual paralysis, accept.

b) If the donor has been investigated and a definite diagnosis of transient global amnesia has been made, accept.

c) If diagnosed with Idiopathic (benign) intracranial hypertension (IIH) and

  • the donor is aymptomatic, and
  • if the donor is taking diuretics (e.g. Acetazolamide) for IIH and the dose has not changed in the last four weeks,

accept.

d) If taken for a condition other than Parkinson's Disease, as long as not having symptoms of hypotension related to dopamine receptor agonist drugs such as rotigotine, bromocriptine, ropinirole and pramipexole, accept.

See if Relevant

Cardiovascular Disease
Cerebrovascular Disease and Intracranial Haemorrhage
Epilepsy
Infection - General
Neurosurgery
Pituitary Disorders
Prion Associated Diseases
Steroid Therapy
Urinary Catheterisation

Additional Information

Donor safety:

Transient global amnesia is a temporary and isolated disorder of memory. Affected individuals are usually over 50 years of age and there is an association with migraine. There is no association with cerebrovascular disease.

Idiopathic or benign intracranial hypertension is a raised intracranial pressure where no mass or other disease is present.

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that can make venepuncture difficult and lead to damage to the donor's arm. It is also treated with dopamine receptor agonist drugs (e.g. rotigotine, bromocriptine, ropinirole and pramipexole) that can cause hypotension and fainting.

Recipient safety:

It is thought that degenerative brain disease in the form of vCJD has been transmitted by blood transfusion. Often the exact cause of a degenerative brain condition only becomes known after death. For this reason, when there is any doubt as to the underlying cause of a brain condition, it is considered safest not to accept a donation.

Information

This is a requirement of the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005.

Reason for change

A discretion to accept donors on treatment for IIH has been added.

Donor Information

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue, please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 73