Association between ABO blood groups and cardiovascular risk factors in general population of Golestan province, Iran.

Background and Objectives Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality. The relationship between ABO blood groups and main risk factors of CVD is unknown. So this study was designed to investigate whether there is an association between ABO blood groups and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy population. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, risk factors screening for CVD on 2920 healthy individuals of Golestan province in 2005 were estimated by a questionnaire that aimed to extract information about age, sex, physical activity, smoking, blood group type, weight, height, blood pressure and family history of CVD. Data were analyzed with SPSS13 and by using Chi Square and ANOVA tests. Results Out of the total number of 2920, 57.4% were male, 70% inactive, 14% smoker, 25% hypertensive, 23% obese, and 21% had family history of CVD with the mean age of 41.52 ± 12.317. Blood groups O (32.9%), A (30.1%), B (23.3%) and AB (13.7%) were the most frequent ones, respectively. Amongst cardiac risk factors, it was only the frequency of family history of CVD that varies across different blood groups, and individuals with A blood group reported to have a more frequent family history of CVD as compared with other blood groups. Conclusions These findings illustrate amongst cardiovascular risk factors only family history of CVD as having a significant correlation with ABO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]