Abstract
Background:
ABO blood types are scientifically proved to be associated with the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but data is lacking in the Saudi population.
Aims:
We aimed to investigate the association between ABO blood types and VTE, to explore potential interactions between ABO blood type with sex and obesity status.
Methods:
This was a retrospective study with a total of 998 patients, who were admitted with venous thromboembolism at our tertiary care hospital, between January 2010 and January 2018. Demographic and clinical data were collected. We used chi-square tests to assess the association between ABO blood group and the development of VTE. It was decided that the test will be considered significant if the p-value is <0.05.
Results:
Out of 998 VTE patients, 506 of patients were excluded, because their ABO blood group was not tested. Therefore, 492 patients were qualified as study subjects, of whom 66% of patients had DVT, 23% of patients had pulmonary embolism. Most of them had provoked VTE. Female patients constituted the majority of the study subjects (82.5%). Sample distribution appeared that O blood group was present in 34.1% of all VTE patients, while non-O-blood groups were present in 66% of them. Overall, there was a non-significant difference between VTE in patients with non-O blood type compared to O blood type (p=0.268).
Conclusions:
Non-O-blood groups (A, B, AB) are the most common blood types in Saudi patients with VTE. There is no statistically significant association between ABO blood groups, gender, and obesity status.
Disclosures
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.