The AB0 blood group system v. types of diseases diagnosed in patients admitted to surgical clinics

Introduction. The distribution of human blood groups varies around the world. Many researchers have been trying to establish whether
there are relationships between blood groups and diseases, personality, lifestyle, and nutrition. For some types of illnesses these relations
were confirmed whereas for others no significant correlations were proven. There is also a group of studies where data are not yet complete.
Aim of the study. Describing relations between AB0 blood groups and diseases diagnosed in patients hospitalised in surgical clinics.
Material and methods. The study group comprised 1144 adult patients hospitalised in surgical clinics in a hospital in Cracow. The authors
used the methodology of diagnostic survey and analysed medical records from the hospital archives. Statistical analysis was performed
using Microsoft Excel 2007 software.
Results and conclusions. A blood group was the most common blood type among patients included in this study. Cholelithiasis was the
most frequent diagnosis recorded in surgical clinics i.e. 32% of all patients suffered from this disease. We found correlations between the
AB0 blood groups and the following morbidities: cholelithiasis and blood type A (p = 0.046), colorectal cancer and B group (p = 0.013), and
pancreatic cancer and blood type B (p = 0.039). Individuals with blood type B presented the greatest risk of developing cancer (p < 0.003)
and the odds ratio was 1.47. The lowest risk was observed for blood type 0.
Nursing Topics 2013; 21 (1): 79–87