A person’s blood type may be linked to their risk of early stroke, according to a new meta-analysis led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The results are published in the journal “Neurology.”
“The number of people with early stroke is increasing. These people are more likely to die, and survivors potentially face decades of disability. Despite this, there is little research into its causes,” Study co-principal investigator Steven J. Kittner says.
The meta-analysis included all available data from genetic studies focusing on ischemic stroke, leading to blockage of blood flow to the brainoccurring in young adults less than 60 years,
In total, 48 studies on genetics and ischemic stroke were reviewed, including 17,000 stroke patients and nearly 600,000 healthy controls who had never had a stroke.
It is clear that we need more follow-up studies to elucidate the mechanism of increased risk of stroke.
The researchers examined all of the chromosomes collected to identify genetic variants associated with stroke and found a link between early-onset stroke — which occurs before the age of 60 — and the part of the chromosome that contains genes that determine Whether blood group is A, AB, B, or O.
Study finds that people with early stroke more likely to have type A blood And people with a late stroke and those who have never had a stroke are less likely to have type O blood (the most common).
both those who had an early stroke and those who had a late stroke was more likely Having blood type B compared to controls.
After adjusting for gender and other factors, the researchers found that people with type A blood had an 18% higher risk of early stroke than people with other blood types. People with O blood had a 12 percent lower risk of having a stroke than people with other blood types.
“Our meta-analysis looked at people’s genetic profiles and found an association between blood type and early stroke risk. The association of blood group with late-onset stroke was very weak than we found with early stroke,” said study co-principal investigator Braxton D. Mitchell.
The researchers stressed that the increased risk was very slight and that people with type A blood they shouldn’t worry To have an early stroke or to undergo additional medical or screening tests based on this finding.
“We don’t yet know why blood type A confers a higher risk, but it likely has something to do with blood clotting factors, such as: platelets and cells That lines blood vessels, as well as other circulating proteins, which all play a role in the development of blood clots,” Kittner explains.
Previous studies suggest that people with type A blood have a slightly higher risk of developing blood clots in the legs, known as deep vein thrombosis. “It is clear that we need more follow-up studies to elucidate the mechanisms of increased stroke risk,” he says.
