Relation of serum lipoproteins and lipids to the ABO blood groups in patients with intermittent claudication.

Abstract

UNLABELLED: In the present study we investigated the serum lipoprotein and lipid levels in patients with intermittent claudication (n = 66), divided according to their blood groups in the ABO system (bloodtype A, n = 40 and bloodtype "non-A", n = 26). We again found the expected predominance of blood type A (61%). However, we found no significant differences in any of the biochemical variables between patients belonging to blood group A and "non-A". Fifty-seven of the patients had arteriographies done and the arteriograms were evaluated blindly by a radiologist according to occlusive and stenotic atherosclerotic lesions. However, as previously suggested by other investigators, we were not able to demonstrate any significant differences between the number of occlusions and stenotic lesions when dividing the patients into blood group A and "non-A". The biochemical differences between patients with either occlusive or stenotic atherosclerotic lesions were also tested and found without any significance. IN CONCLUSION: the serum lipoprotein and lipid levels in the present study do not give an obvious explanation, why patients with blood group A seem more liable to develop atherosclerosis than those with blood group "non-A".