ABO Rh (D) blood group distribution among whole blood donors at two different setups of tertiary care hospitals in North India

Abstract

Background: The antigens for ABO blood group system are of paramount significance in transfusion medicine as they are the most immunogenic of all the blood group antigens known, followed closely by D antigen of rhesus blood group system. The ABO blood group system has been used in resolving many medico-legal issues related to paternity, by investigators in forensic science or in population studies by anthropologists. ABO-Rh D blood grouping is the commonest test done in blood banking and forms the mainstay of pretransfusion testing and any ABO-incompatible blood transfusion can be associated with acute intravascular hemolysis, renal failure, and even death. Methods: A retrospective study for ABO RhD blood group distribution was carried out on whole blood donors who successfully donated at two different blood centres, hospital I at New Delhi for a period of one year from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and hospital II at Dehradun from January 1, 2013 to 31 December, 2015. Results: It was observed that the frequencies (%) of blood group A, B, O and AB for hospital I and II were A =22.6, 23.4; B=37.8, 35.6; O=29.5, 29.5 and AB=10.1, 11.4 respectively. And at both the centers, Rh D positivity was observed as 94.5% and Rh D negativity as 5.5%. Conclusions: It is advisable to determine the distribution of ABO and Rh D phenotypes among blood donors in each blood centre so as to stock adequate number of respective blood group units and provide timely and adequate blood supply to the needy recipient even in the wee hours.