Association of ABO blood groups with diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT

So far no studies have been performed in Malaysia to look at association of diabetes mellitus [DM] with blood groups. We studied the association of ABO blood groups with DM type 2. It was a case control study conducted at Kepala Batas Hospital Batas, Penang, Malaysia in the year 2009, involving 70 patients with DM type 2 and 140 healthy controls. Ethical approval was obtained from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Blood samples were collected from the patients after consent. Samples were tested for ABO blood groups using ID-Card gel method. Chi-square test results showed that there was an association between the ABO blood groups and DM type 2. It was found that A and O blood groups were negatively associated with DM type 2 [P<0.05] with higher percentage of A and O groups individuals were non-diabetic. No significant association was noted between DM type 2 and blood groups B [P=0.423] and AB [P=0.095]. It was also noted that B blood group was distributed with highest percentage among patients with DM type 2 [53.71%] compared to controls [22.52%], but no statistical significance achieved. The results obtained suggest that there was a negative association between ABO blood groups A and O with DM type 2, with A and O group having less chances of diabetes. Large studies in other ethnic groups are needed to confirm these results: