ABO Blood Group Research Articles

Optimizing Access to Unrelated Donors in Canada: Re-Examining the Importance of Donor Factors on Outcomes Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

HLA-matched allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for many patients. Unrelated HLA-matched donors are the most frequently used donor for HCT. When more than one donor transplant option is available, transplant centers can select donors based on non-HLA factors. With improved ability to prevent and treat immune complications, such as graft-versus-host disease and infections, it may be possible to proceed more often using HLA-mismatched donors, allowing greater consideration of non-HLA factors, such as donor age, CMV serostatus, and ABO blood group matching, which have demonstrated important impacts on transplant outcomes. Additional factors to consider are donor availability rates and the usage of domestic donors to optimize outcomes. A review of non-HLA factors and considerations on the selection of optimal unrelated donors for HCT are provided within this updated current context.

The Relationship Between ABO and Rh Blood Groups and Microvascular Complications of Diabetes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between ABO and Rh blood groups and microvascular complications of diabetes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Material and Methods: This study included Type 2 DM patients who were hospitalized and followed in our clinic between February 2019 and April 2022. The patients’ data files were retrospectively reviewed in order to record demographic characteristics, antidiabetic medications, comorbid diseases, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c values, ABO/Rh blood groups, and microvascular complication status (nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy). Results: A total of 348 patients were included in the study. In the sample group, male patients constituted 40.9% (142) and female patients 59.1% (206) of the sample, and the mean age was 59.3±12.8 years. Diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy rates were 31.3%, 41.0%, and 52.0%, respectively. The blood group was A in 151 (43.4%), B in 51 (14.6%), 0 in 127 (36.5%), and AB in 19 (5.5%) patients. Patients with different blood types did not show any significant differences in the microvascular complications of diabetes. The frequency of nephropathy and retinopathy were lower in Rh-negative patients than in Rh-positive patients (p=0.044 and p=0.041, respectively). Conclusion: ABO blood groups are not correlated with the microvascular complications of diabetes in patients with type 2 DM. However, Rh positivity may pose certain risks for nephropathy and retinopathy.

Detection of ABH Antigen in Sudanese Patients with Chronic Renal Failure in Shendi Town, Sudan

Background: Patients suffering from chronic renal failure have significant challenges in their social and economic lives. In Sudan, the annual incidence of chronic renal failure is between 70 and 140 cases per million, and until more is done to address this illness, the problem is likely to persist. Blood group types appear to be associated with secretor status and certain disorders, in addition to the main therapeutic significance of the ABO blood group to organ transplantation and blood transfusions. Objective: To determine the prevalence of ABO and secretor status, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among Sudanese patients receiving hemodialysis for chronic renal failure disease at the kidney treatment and surgical center in Shendi City between August and December 2021. Materials and Methods: Fifty samples total from patients with chronic renal failure were taken; of these, 42% were female and 58% were male. Two milliliters of venous blood and three milliliters of saliva were collected in sterile containers and EDTA anticoagulant containers, respectively. Slides were used to do ABO grouping, and absorption inhibition was used to determine secretor status. Results: 44% of patients with CKD were blood group O, 38% were blood group A, 16% were blood group B, and 2% were blood group AB. The data also revealed that 68% of patients with CKD were non-secretors and 32% were secretors. According to the study, there was a decrease in the frequency of the Se gene compared to the Se gene. The homozygous genotype SeSe was found to be 3%, the heterozygous genotype Sese to be 29%, and the recessive genotype Sese to be 68%. Additionally, the blood groups O and A have a higher risk of renal failure. Conclusions: Blood group O was the highest frequency among patients receiving hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, followed by blood groups A and B, while blood group AB was the least prevalent. The non-secretors had a higher genotype frequency. Renal failure is more common among non-secretors.

The effect of histo-blood group ABO system transferase (BGAT) on pregnancy related outcomes：A Mendelian randomization study

Protein level of Histo-Blood Group ABO System Transferase (BGAT) has been reported to be associated with cardiometabolic diseases. But its effect on pregnancy related outcomes still remains unclear. Here we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to ascertain the putative causal roles of protein levels of BGAT in pregnancy related outcomes. Cis-acting protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) robustly associated with protein level of BGAT (P < 5 ×10−8) were used as instruments to proxy the BGAT protein level (N = 35,559, data from deCODE), with two additional pQTL datasets from Fenland (N = 10,708) and INTERVAL (N = 3301) used as validation exposures. Ten pregnancy related diseases and complications were selected as outcomes. We observed that a higher protein level of BGAT showed a putative causal effect on venous complications and haemorrhoids in pregnancy (VH) (odds ratio [OR]=1.19, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=1.12–1.27, colocalization probability=91%), which was validated by using pQTLs from Fenland and INTERVAL. The Mendelian randomization results further showed effects of the BGAT protein on gestational hypertension (GH) (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.96–0.99), despite little colocalization evidence to support it. Sensitivity analyses, including proteome-wide Mendelian randomization of the cis-acting BGAT pQTLs, showed little evidence of horizontal pleiotropy. Correctively, our study prioritised BGAT as a putative causal protein for venous complications and haemorrhoids in pregnancy. Future epidemiology and clinical studies are needed to investigate whether BGAT can be considered as a drug target to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Determination and Correlation of Finger Print Pattern and Blood Grouping in Diabetes Mellitus: An Analytical Study

BACKGROUND: To Determine and correlate between fingerprint patterns and blood group in type II diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: One hundred individuals with type II diabetes mellitus and One hundred normal individuals as controls were selected for study. Fingerprints were obtained by dactyloscopy. Various fingerprint patterns like arches, whorls, loops were studied and correlated with the respective blood group based on ABO system among the volunteer controls and diabetics. After obtaining results, the analysis was made using Chi square test and One way ANOVA which showed, the most predominant fingerprint pattern among the 100 diabetic volunteers is “Arch pattern” and the most predominant blood group was “O” positive among the diabetic volunteers. Also correlating both finger print and blood group “Whorl pattern” with “B” blood group showed higher predominance among the healthy volunteers. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study correlating finger print pattern with blood grouping in subjects of Diabetes mellitus. Our study findings showed that O positive blood group with arch pattern type of finger print was the most common findings among diabetes. Thus correlating fingerprint pattern and blood grouping act as a early predictor tool for diagnosing Type II Diabetes mellitus.

Genetic variant rs1205 is associated with COVID-19 outcomes: The Strong Heart Study and Strong Heart Family Study.

Although COVID-19 infection has been associated with a number of clinical and environmental risk factors, host genetic variation has also been associated with the incidence and morbidity of infection. The CRP gene codes for a critical component of the innate immune system and CRP variants have been reported associated with infectious disease and vaccination outcomes. We investigated possible associations between COVID-19 outcome and a limited number of candidate gene variants including rs1205. The Strong Heart and Strong Heart Family studies have accumulated detailed genetic, cardiovascular risk and event data in geographically dispersed American Indian communities since 1988. Genotypic data and 91 COVID-19 adjudicated deaths or hospitalizations from 2/1/20 through 3/1/23 were identified among 3,780 participants in two subsets. Among 21 candidate variants including genes in the interferon response pathway, APOE, TMPRSS2, TLR3, the HLA complex and the ABO blood group, only rs1205, a 3' untranslated region variant in the CRP gene, showed nominally significant association in T-dominant model analyses (odds ratio 1.859, 95%CI 1.001-3.453, p = 0.049) after adjustment for age, sex, center, body mass index, and a history of cardiovascular disease. Within the younger subset, association with the rs1205 T-Dom genotype was stronger, both in the same adjusted logistic model and in the SOLAR analysis also adjusting for other genetic relatedness. A T-dominant genotype of rs1205 in the CRP gene is associated with COVID-19 death or hospitalization, even after adjustment for relevant clinical factors and potential participant relatedness. Additional study of other populations and genetic variants of this gene are warranted.

Serology and molecular genetic analysis of two unrelated individuals with the same novel CisAB blood type

ObjectiveThis study aims to report two unrelated individuals with the same novel CisAB blood type and confirm this rare blood type using a comprehensive approach that combines serological and molecular biology techniques. MethodsPeripheral blood samples were collected from two patients and their family members. ABO blood typing and antibody detection were performed using conventional tube methods. Molecular biology techniques were employed to amplify and sequence the 6th and 7th exons of the ABO gene, with reference to gene mutation databases provided by NCBI and ISBT. ResultsThe genotypes of the two unrelated individuals were identical and were confirmed as a new genotype through ISBT gene database comparison. Serological testing results showed different antigen reaction patterns, especially in terms of reverse typing. Gene sequencing identified a series of mutation points, and both unrelated individuals and one of their daughters had mutations at 297 A>G, 526 C>G, 657 C>T, 703 G>A, 803 G>C, and 930 G>A. According to the comprehensive results from The Blood Group Antigen Gene Mutation Database provided by NCBI, the genotype was determined as Bw37. However, based on the results from Names for ABO (ISBT 001) blood group alleles v1.1 171023, the sequencing results indicated a novel mutation combination not found in the ISBT database. Considering the serological reactions of all three individuals, the final determination was CisAB. ConclusionsThis study confirmed the novel CisAB blood type in two individuals through the comprehensive application of serology and molecular biology techniques. The identified gene mutation points were not recorded in known databases, emphasizing the uniqueness of CisAB blood types. This research provides important insights into the genetic basis of ABO subtypes and the characteristics of CisAB blood types, and the relevant results have been submitted to the ISBT website for further research.

Association of Vitiligo with ABO/Rh System and its Influence on Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and Vitamin D

This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between vitiligo and ABO blood groups, the Rhesus (Rh) factor, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and vitamin D. For vitiligo analysis, two hundred subjects participated in this study, 100 vitiligo patients and 100 control cases (without vitiligo). ABO blood grouping and Rh typing were tested by a slide method. TSH testing involved 80 vitiligo patients and 80 controls (without vitiligo) and the hormone was analyzed by separating the serum in a centrifuge for two minutes and the results were obtained by Beckman fully automatic analyzer. For vitamin D, 50 vitiligo patients and 50 healthy people (without vitiligo) were included. The data on vitamin D were obtained from private laboratory services. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26. P&lt;0.05 was considered significant. Most patients with vitiligo had a significantly lower level of serum vitamin D compared with controls (p-value &lt; 0.05), while no statistically significant difference in TSH serum levels between vitiligo cases and controls, was found (p-value &gt; 0.05). Furthermore, despite showing that subjects with blood group O are more susceptible to vitiligo as compared to other groups, there was no significant association of vitiligo with ABO blood groups (p-value &gt; 0.05). Similarly, the incidence of Rh positive and Rh negative was not statistically different between the two groups (p-value &gt; 0.05). This study showed that vitiligo patients are often vitamin D deficient. This study highlights the need to evaluate vitamin D status in vitiligo patients to improve the level of skin pigment loss. It remains unknown whether vitamin D deficiency causes vitiligo. However, a collection of larger sample sizes of different ethnicities should be required to achieve a precise conclusion.

Epigenetic dissection of human blood group genes reveals regulatory elements and detailed characteristics of KEL and four other loci.

Blood typing is essential for safe transfusions and is performed serologically or genetically. Genotyping predominantly focuses on coding regions, but non-coding variants may affect gene regulation, as demonstrated in the ABO, FY and XG systems. To uncover regulatory loci, we expanded a recently developed bioinformatics pipeline for discovery of non-coding variants by including additional epigenetic datasets. Multiple datasets including ChIP-seq with erythroid transcription factors (TFs), histone modifications (H3K27ac, H3K4me1), and chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) were analyzed. Candidate regulatory regions were investigated for activity (luciferase assays) and TF binding (electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA, and mass spectrometry, MS). In total, 814 potential regulatory sites in 47 blood-group-related genes were identified where one or more erythroid TFs bound. Enhancer candidates in CR1, EMP3, ABCB6, and ABCC4 indicated by ATAC-seq, histone markers, and co-occupancy of 4 TFs (GATA1/KLF1/RUNX1/NFE2) were investigated but only CR1 and ABCC4 showed increased transcription. Co-occupancy of GATA1 and KLF1 was observed in the KEL promoter, previously reported to contain GATA1 and Sp1 sites. TF binding energy scores decreased when three naturally occurring variants were introduced into GATA1 and KLF1 motifs. Two of three GATA1 sites and the KLF1 site were confirmed functionally. EMSA and MS demonstrated increased GATA1 and KLF1 binding to the wild-type compared to variant motifs. This combined bioinformatics and experimental approach revealed multiple candidate regulatory regions and predicted TF co-occupancy sites. The KEL promoter was characterized in detail, indicating that two adjacent GATA1 and KLF1 motifs are most crucial for transcription.

Association of Secretor And Nonsecretor Status with Lewis Phenotyping Among Blood Donors: A Prospective Observational Study from Tertiary Care Hospital.

ABO (ABH) antigen expression on red cell antigens and secretion of ABH substances in body fluids are governed by different genes. The presence or absence of the Secretor gene is the basis of secretor status positivity and negativity, respectively. Determination of the secretor status has an essential role in the medical field. It was a prospective observational study to determine the association of secretor and nonsecretor status with Lewis phenotyping among voluntary blood donors. It was conducted from Jan 2020 to December 2021 at the Department of Transfusion Medicine in a tertiary care hospital in South India. Among 318 donors, secretors were 229 (72%), and nonsecretors were 89 (28%). The Lewis phenotype was consistent with secretor status, i.e., All Le (a-b +) were secretors accounting for 213 (66.9%), and All Le(a + b-) were nonsecretors accounting for 80(25.1%)donors. In the Le(a-b-) phenotype, 16(5.0%) were secretors with Se positivity but defective Lewis expression, and 9(2.8%) were nonsecretors with sese. Detection of Lewis phenotype indirectly reflects the blood group secretor status. Hence, in case of discrepancies in ABO blood groups, Bombay and Para Bombay groups, testing for Le(b) confirmation will be useful.

The ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups of the Purana population of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, and the disease risk

The ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups of the Purana population of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, and the disease risk

Analyzing the Relationship Between COVID-19 Susceptibility and Blood Group Variations: A Comprehensive Investigation into the Impact of ABO Blood Types on the Incidence, Severity, and Clinical Outcomes of the Disease

Background: The covid-19 pandemic, originating from a new strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), is of concern to the global health arena as no crisis comparable to this has happened in the past. The investigation of not only the genetic components which may predispose for such a disease but also determine the severity of the illness has turned into a pressing research issue in modern days. Although it is desirable for the formulation of effective community health policy which provide tailor-made solutions concerning treatments, it is important that people have a clear understanding of the role played by blood type differences in this regard.&#x0D; Methodology: The research was done at Baghdad Medical City Hospital during the period of June and August of 2021 using the patients with verified COVID-19 cases as their base. The data contained not only demographic information but also a blood type, disorder severity level, as well as the details were about the procedure. Various statistics organizations, include but not limited to the Pearson correlation, Chi-square and data visualization were applied using SPSS to establish the association between different blood types and the aftermath of COVID-19 infections. Results: The study demonstrated that among the many characteristics of COVID-19, blood types tested out to be assciating with a statistically significant number of them. Noteworthy is the significant negative association that connects blood types with the severity of the disease, and this factor also determines the period for recovery. It became clear that the recovery duration and the treatment response didn’t depend on age when the results were adjusted for any statistically insignificant variations that could be attributed to age. This evidences us that it is likely that the age factor is not considered as a premier factor in the progress of the COVID-19 in the analyzed patients. when goes to a green process, the human error disappears.&#x0D; Conclusion: Obtained results of patients with diversified ABO blood types allowed us the data that confirmed disease incidence and severity can be modified during COVID-19. Given this fact, the doctors in the health care institutions and in the government agencies responsible for public health should gain this information. Also, the organizations need this information to develop a disease prevention and control policy. In a wider plan of the research and response strategy to the pandemic, COVID-19, the results reveal that on the genetic side the blood type must be borne in mind, amongst other hereditary features.

Blood groups and Rhesus status as potential predictors of outcomes in patients with cardiac resynchronisation therapy

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) improves prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) however the role of ABO blood groups and Rhesus factor are poorly understood. We hypothesise that blood groups may influence clinical and survival outcomes in HF patients undergoing CRT. A total of 499 patients with HF who fulfilled the criteria for CRT implantation were included. Primary outcome of all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant/left ventricular assist device was assessed over a median follow-up of 4.6 years (IQR 2.3–7.5). Online repositories were searched to provide biological context to the identified associations. Patients were divided into blood (O, A, B, and AB) and Rhesus factor (Rh-positive and Rh-negative) groups. Mean patient age was 66.4 ± 12.8 years with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 29 ± 11%. There were no baseline differences in age, gender, and cardioprotective medication. In a Cox proportional hazard multivariate model, only Rh-negative blood group was associated with a significant survival benefit (HR 0.68 [0.47–0.98], p = 0.040). No association was observed for the ABO blood group (HR 0.97 [0.76–1.23], p = 0.778). No significant interaction was observed with prevention, disease aetiology, and presence of defibrillator. Rhesus-related genes were associated with erythrocyte and platelet function, and cholesterol and glycated haemoglobin levels. Four drugs under development targeting RHD were identified (Rozrolimupab, Roledumab, Atorolimumab, and Morolimumab). Rhesus blood type was associated with better survival in HF patients with CRT. Further research into Rhesus-associated pathways and related drugs, namely whether there is a cardiac signal, is required.

Molecular study of an individual with Bel subtype due to a novel c.620T>C variant

To explore the molecular basis for an individual with Bel subtype of the ABO blood type due to a novel c.620T>C variant gene, and assess its impact on the structure of GTB transferase. An individual who had visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University on February 11, 2023 was selected as the study subject. ABO phenotyping was initially conducted with serological methods, which was followed by direct sequencing of 7 exons of the ABO gene. Subsequently, single-strand sequencing was carried out by using allele-specific primers, and the variant in the B transferase was homology-modeled using the Modeller software. The impact of the variant on the transferase's spatial structure was analyzed with the PyMOL software. The serological phenotype of the patient was identified as the Bel subtype. Direct sequencing revealed that she has harbored a novel c.620T>C variant, resulting in a p.Leu207Pro substitution in the polypeptide chain. Combined with single-strand sequencing, her genotype was ultimately determined as ABO*BELnew/ABO*O.01.02. Three-dimensional protein structure modeling showed that, compared with the wild type, the distance of one hydrogen bond between Proline and Glycine at position 272 has increased, along with disappearance of another hydrogen bond. The novel c.620T>C (p.Leu207Pro) variant of B allele may affect the structural stability of the glycosyltransferase. The weakened enzyme activity in turn may lead to reduced B antigen expression, manifesting as the Bel subtype by serological analysis.

Distribution of ABO/Rhesus Blood Groups Among Hepatitis B and C Virus (HBV Ag, HCV Ab) Positive Patients in Anbar Providence, Iraq

This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections among blood donors at Anbar Blood Bank in Iraq. The study also explored the correlation between ABO and Rh blood groups with Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTIs) and sociodemographic factors and cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 100 blood donors at Anbar Blood Bank from March 24, 2023, to June 21, 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed HBV and HCV-positive patients who provided consent, while exclusion criteria included individuals without HBV and HCV infections. Blood samples (5 mL) were collected, and tests for TTI markers (HBV, HCV) and ABO and Rh blood grouping were performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and slide method, respectively. Sociodemographic data, TTI marker results, and ABO and Rh blood types were recorded for analysis. Descriptive analysis of sociodemographic data was performed, and a chi-square test was employed to assess the correlation between ABO and Rh blood groups with TTI markers and sociodemographic factors (Age, sex, and living area). Statistical significance was set at P&lt;0.05. The results revealed a male predominance (71%), with the majority aged between 20-30 years (39%) and residing in rural areas (52%). The most common blood group was O+ (39%), while AB- was the least prevalent (0%). In terms of viral infections, 80% of participants were found to be infected with HBs Ag, and 20% with HCV Ab. Notably, blood group O+ exhibited the highest infection rates for both HBs (28%) and HCV (11%), while blood group A- demonstrated the lowest HBs infection rate (3%) and no HCV infection. The study provides valuable insights into the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections among blood donors in Anbar, Iraq. Additionally, correlations between ABO and Rh blood groups, TTI markers, and sociodemographic factors were explored. The findings contribute to the understanding of transfusion safety and may inform blood screening and donor selection protocols.

Prevalence of ABO and Rhesus (D) Blood Group and Allelic Frequency at Blood Bank of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Hospital, Ethiopia.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the pattern of the ABO and rhesus D (RhD) blood group distribution among voluntary blood donors attending five blood donation centers at Nigist Eleni Mohammed General Hospital in Hossana, Ethiopia. A total of 1,120 participants who fulfilled the "who can give blood" criteria of the World Health Organization were selected randomly. Blood samples were collected, transported to the laboratory, and analyzed for ABO and RhD typing. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square correlation analysis. The study found that the O blood group was the most prevalent (39.0%), followed by A (32.2%), B (22.5%), and AB (6.4%). When considering both the ABO and Rh blood groups together, 92.9% of blood donors were RhD positive, while only 7.1% were RhD negative. The distribution pattern of the ABO blood groups in Gurage Zone, Hadiya Zone, Kembata Zone, and Silte Zone showed that the O blood group was the most prevalent, followed by A, B, and AB, in that order. Conversely, the ABO blood group distribution pattern in Halaba Zone was A > O > B > AB. Civil servants from different occupational statuses were the most dominant voluntary blood donors, accounting for 53.2%, followed by students from different high schools and universities (41.9%), self-employed individuals (4.1%), and others (0.7%). The ABO blood group system had observed allele frequencies significantly different from the expected frequencies (p = 0.007), while the RhD system did not (p = 0.037). Allele frequencies for A, B, and O in the ABO system were 0.3531, 0.2576, and 0.3893, respectively. Observed frequencies for RhD-positive and RhD-negative alleles were 0.9647 and 0.0531, respectively. This study highlights the regional ABO and RhD blood group variations in Ethiopia, noting disparities from expected ABO allele frequencies, and identifies the O blood group predominance among donors with a high RhD-positive prevalence.

Correlation of Age, Gender, ABO Blood Group and Rh Factor in COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

The ABO blood group has long been recognized as a significant factor influencing susceptibility to infectious diseases. Numerous studies have explored the links between ABO blood types and both the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 and the severity of the infection, yielding conflicting results. This study intends to determine the influence of age, gender, the ABO blood group, and Rh factor on the potential development of COVID-19 infection. A cross-sectional, observational study collected data including age, gender, the ABO blood group, and Rh factor from 80 healthcare professionals at R. R. Dental College and Hospital in Udaipur with a positive history of COVID-19 infection via Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States). Chi-square statistics assessed the distribution of blood types and antibodies within the samples. Odds ratio (OR) assays were used to assess the probability of a certain blood type or Rh factor with version 21.0 of the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). In this study, the blood group type O was 45.2% (n = 33), type A was 21.9% (n = 16), type B was 24.7% (n = 18), and type AB was 8.2% (n = 6). Rh-positive samples were 87.7% (n = 64) and Rh-negative samples were 12.3% (n = 9). There was a statistically significant correlation between Type A (p = 0.001) and Type O (p = 0.049). Thirty-one participants (42.5%) were aged 20-30 years, 26 (35.6%) were aged 31-40 years, and 16 (21.9%) were aged 41-50 years. The statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant distinction among the age groups (p > 0.05). The patients' gender, age, and concurrent disorders are crucial risk variables that determine the severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. There is growing data indicating that the ABO blood group has a significant role in disease biology at physiological and biochemical levels. Hence, this study adds valuable information to strengthen and establish the potential role of factors, such as age and gender, in the possible pathogenicity of COVID-19 infection.

Blood Phytosterol Concentration and Genetic Variant Associations in a Sample Population.

The main objective of this study was to determine plasma levels of PS and to study SNVs rs41360247, rs4245791, rs4148217, and rs11887534 of ABCG8 and the r657152 SNV at the ABO blood group locus in a sample of a population treated at our hospital, and to determine whether these SNVs are related to plasma PS concentrations. The secondary objective was to establish the variables associated with plasma PS concentrations in adults. Participants completed a dietary habit questionnaire and a blood sample was collected to obtain the following variables: campesterol, sitosterol, sitostanol, lanosterol, stigmasterol, biochemical parameters, and the SNVs. In addition, biometric and demographic variables were also recorded. In the generalized linear model, cholesterol and age were positively associated with total PS levels, while BMI was negatively related. For rs4245791, homozygous T allele individuals showed a significantly lower campesterol concentration compared with C homozygotes, and the GG alleles of rs657152 had the lowest levels of campesterol compared with the other alleles of the SNV. Conclusions: The screening of certain SNVs could help prevent the increase in plasma PS and maybe PNALD in some patients. However, further studies on the determinants of plasma phytosterol concentrations are needed.

Discussion on the recruitment strategy for apheresis platelet donors in Chongqing during a public health emergency.

This study aimed to analyze the population characteristics of apheresis platelet donors in Chongqing Province and provide a scientific basis for the development of precise and efficient recruitment strategies. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of regular platelet donors in preparation for public health emergencies. This study involved 53,089 blood donors who donated apheresis platelets to the Chongqing Blood Center from 2020 to 2022. Data regarding age, sex, blood type, education level, occupation, and frequency of blood donation were collected and analyzed to identify factors influencing platelet donation. Between 2020 and 2022, the majority of apheresis platelet donors in Chongqing were aged 25-35 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.6:1. The ABO blood group distribution was O > A > B > AB. The apheresis platelet donors mainly consisted of college students, and the donors who had donated only once accounted for the greatest proportion. Based on the population characteristics of apheresis platelet donors in Chongqing, blood collection and supply organizations must refine emergency blood collection and supply plans during public health emergencies. This study underscores the importance of developing precise and efficient recruitment strategies for apheresis platelet donors and expanding the pool of regular apheresis platelet donors. These measures are essential to ensure the timely, safe, and effective use of clinical blood resources during public health emergencies.

Correlation Between the Rh/ABO System and Infection Due to SARS Cov2 in Morocco*

The association between COVID-19, ABO blood group system and Rhesus needs to be explored in order to suggest a model of the mechanism linked to SARS CoV2 infection. A retrospective case-control association study was performed on the different regions of Morocco and carried out on a population of size n = 5039 including a total of 4268 COVID-19 patients and 771 control groups. The differences in the Rh/ABO blood group distribution between COVID-19 patients and the control group were analyzed. The relationship between ABO blood type, sexes, Rhesus and COVID-19 characteristics was analyzed. The analyzes of association between the blood group and the infection related to SARS CoV2 showed a statistically significant difference in the individuals of groups B, O, AB) respectively, but not blood group A. In addition, patients with the Rh+ phenotype are less vulnerable to infection therefore the latter are considered to have a protective effect, however the Rh- categories are more vulnerable to infection so they are risk factors. Blood type was related to some clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19. The presence of the A and B antigens increase the risk of infection with SARS COV2. While the presence of anti A and anti B antibodies makes group O protector against infection. Patients with the Rh+ phenotype are less vulnerable to infection than Rh-therefore these are considered to have a protective effect which is the presence of the D antigen in red blood cells.