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Is there an association between blood group O and epistaxis?
V M Reddy1, M Daniel, E Bright
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK. vmreddy@doctors.net.uk
Introduction:
Blood group O is associated with lower expression of von Willebrand factor suggesting a relative bleeding tendency. A lower admission rate for epistaxis among Asians compared with Caucasians has also been noted, with one explanation being higher prevalence of blood group O among Caucasians. This study investigates whether blood group O is over-represented in patients admitted with epistaxis.
Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted, using computerised hospital in-patient and blood bank databases to identify Caucasians admitted with epistaxis between January 2000 and December 2005 inclusive. The control group consisted of 500 consecutive patients who had a primary total hip arthroplasty and 500 consecutive patients who gave birth within the delivery suite.
Results:
1261 Caucasians admitted with epistaxis were identified. Among epistaxis patients, 50.44 per cent were blood group O but among the control group this was 45.10 per cent (chi-square test p = 0.008).
Conclusion:
Blood group O appears over-represented in Caucasian patients admitted with epistaxis, compared with the control population, raising the possibility that blood group O is a risk factor for epistaxis.
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