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ABO blood groups and coronary heart disease (CHD). A study in subjects with severe and latent CHD
Insights
Blood group A individuals exhibit higher platelet retention, suggesting increased thrombotic potential compared to blood group 0. This may explain poorer coronary heart disease prognosis in blood group A, despite similar preclinical disease prevalence.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Epidemiological studies suggest blood group A is associated with higher thrombotic potential than blood group 0.
- Laboratory data on platelet function and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk present conflicting findings regarding ABO blood groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between ABO blood groups and thrombotic potential.
- To reconcile conflicting epidemiological and clinical data on ABO blood groups and coronary heart disease (CHD).
Main Methods:
- Assessed platelet retention in subjects with blood group A versus blood group 0.
- Analyzed ABO blood group distribution in patients with latent CHD and coronary artery bypass candidates.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher platelet retention was observed in blood group A subjects compared to blood group 0.
- A normal ABO distribution was found in latent CHD patients, while coronary artery bypass candidates showed a disproportionate excess of blood group 0 over A.
- These findings appear to contradict epidemiological data suggesting higher CHD risk in blood group A.
Conclusions:
- The higher thrombotic proneness in blood group A may lead to a poorer prognosis in established CHD, resulting in an overrepresentation of blood group 0 among long-term survivors.
- ABO-related factors likely have a minimal independent impact on the development of preclinical coronary artery disease.
Abstract:
The view based on epidemiological and laboratory data that blood group A subjects (=A) have clinically significant higher thrombotic potential than blood group 0 subjects (=O), is supported by the present finding of a significantly higher platelet retention in A than 0. The completely normal AB0 distribution found among 71 cases of proven latent CHD, and the disproportionate excess of 0 vs. A in a consecutive series of 191 coronary artery bypass candidates apparently conflict with epidemiological data indicating a higher risk of achieving CHD in A than 0. The conflict may be solved by suggesting a) that the "thrombotic proneness" in A compared with 0 causes a poorer prognosis in CHD among the former, leaving a disproportionate excess of 0 among longterm CHD survivors, and b) that AB0-related factors have had an insignificant, independent impact on the evolution of preclinical coronary artery disease in our 71 men with latent CHD.