Frequency Distribution of ABO and Rhesus Blood Group System and their Association with the Prevalence of Various Clinical Disorders among the Kashmiri Donors: “A Possible Correlation or Just Random Distribution”

Aim: The knowledge of blood group distribution is essential for inventory management and disease trends related to different blood groups. Besides being important in blood transfusion, ABO and Rh blood group system play an important role in forensic pathology, disease susceptibility and population genetics. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency and distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups among (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery/Bachelor of Dental Surgery) students belonging to different geographical locations in the Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir, India as well as the prevalence of various disorders among the students and their parents in relation to ABO and Rh blood groups.

Study Design: A Comparative Study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physiology, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Methodology: The ABO and Rh status was determined according to the classical slide test method. The prevalence of various disorders in the students and their parents was studied by self-administered questionnaire and all the required information was collected

Results: The overall prevalence of the different blood groups followed the order: O+ > A+ ≥ B+> O->AB+>B‑.The most common prevalent disorders associated with different blood groups were diabetes, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and rheumatoid arthritis. The other less prevalent disorders associated with several blood groups were polycystic ovarian disease, gout, myopia, fatty liver, atrial septal defect, HBV infection and vitiligo.

Conclusions: The results of the present and other studies indicates that if not the exact cause of disease, the individuals with different blood group antigens are susceptible to several disorders and other health problems. Further research investigations should be conducted at large scale in order to understand such possible connections between the blood groups and diseases if any such exist.