Association of ABO and Rh blood group systems with blood pressure in a population sample from Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Abundant literature is available on the association of blood groups to various diseases. It was thus hypothesized that similar linkage may also exist between blood groups and Hypertension, which prompted me to work on this project. Material and Methods: This study was carried out from June 2001 to September 2003 on 1304 subjects out of which 756 were male and 548 were females. Age ranged from 18-65 years. The blood groups and blood pressure were determined in PMRC Research Center KMC Peshawar, by using standard methods. Results: Out of 1304 subjects distribution of blood groups was such that blood group B (30.1%)> O (29.7%) >A (28.5%)>AB (10.1%). No significant difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found among the all groups. However significant differences existed between the two sexes within blood group B & O for systolic BP and A & O groups for diastolic BP. Significant differences in systolic BP were found between A+ve and O+ve phenotypes only. A-ve males had lower systol ic BP than O-ve males. Substantially more conspicuous Rh factor associated differences became evident among the ABO phenotypes. Nearly similar trends were evident for systolic and diastolic blood pressure as age of both genders of the A, B and AB phenotypes advanced. Statistically significant (P<0.05) increase above the age of 16-20 years group was noticed at least as far as the 41-50 years age groups. Especially highly significant increase in systolic and diastolic Blood pressure in Group A (both males and females) and in Group B and AB (females only) was noticed. Conclusion: It is advisable that the males having blood group O-ve and females having AB-ve should be aware of their blood pressure and maintain it with in the normal limits especially by changing their lifestyle