Relation of ABO Blood Groups to the Plaque Characteristic of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Genetics
• Pathology

Background:

• The relationship between ABO blood groups and atherosclerosis plaque morphology remains unclear.
• Understanding these associations can offer insights into cardiovascular disease risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ABO blood groups and the morphological characteristics of coronary artery plaques.
• To determine if specific blood types correlate with plaque stability and severity of stenosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 392 acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing optical coherence tomography before stenting.
• Patients were categorized by ABO blood type.
• Morphological features including fibrous cap thickness, plaque type, lumen area, and diameter were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Blood type O individuals exhibited significantly thicker fibrous caps (0.075 ± 0.033 mm vs. 0.061 ± 0.024 mm) and a higher incidence of thin-cap fibroatheroma (71.5% vs. 51.0%) compared to non-O types.
• Blood type O showed a larger minimum lumen area (1.26 vs. 1.05 mm²) and minimum lumen diameter (1.03 vs. 0.95 mm).
• No significant differences were observed in lipid plaque, plaque rupture, or thrombus incidence across blood types. Non-O types presented with more severe coronary artery stenosis.

Conclusions:

• ABO blood type is associated with coronary plaque morphology.
• Blood type O plaques are characterized by thicker fibrous caps and less severe stenosis, suggesting greater stability.
• Non-O blood types are linked to more significant coronary artery stenosis.