ABSTRACT
ABO blood groups, Rhesus factors and haemoglobin genotypes are all inherited blood characters. This this study was aimed at investigating the relative incidence of hypertension comorbidly occurring with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in ABO/Rhesus blood groups and haemoglobin genotypes in some residents of Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria. Age and sex matched control subjects (n=150) and patients (n=470) [hypertensive nondiabetics (HND, n=179), normotensive diabetics (ND, n=132), hypertensive diabetics (HD, n=159)] presenting at the Medical Out-Patient Clinic of the State Hospital, Abeokuta, Nigeria were recruited. Standard electrophoretic and haemagglutination techniques were employed in testing the blood samples. Fasting plasma glucose, haemoglobin, plasma creatinine and plasma urea were determined spectrophotometrically. Blood pressure and its component were also determined. Prevalence of hypertension and/or T2DM was observed in subjects with blood O followed by A. The phenotype frequencies of ABO blood group in both hypertensive and diabetic patients and controls (both sexes) are in the order O>A>B>AB. The RhD+ and RhD- distribution were similar in patients and their control counterparts (p > 0.05). The spectrum of haemoglobin electrophoresis among the controls and patients can be shown with a general formula HbAA>HbAS>HbAC>HbSS>HbSC>HbCC except in control female and HD female. The results obtained suggest that there is a strong positive relationship between blood group O and hypertension and/or T2DM. Large studies in other ethnic groups are needed to confirm these results.