Does ABO Blood Type Implicate Susceptibility to Respiratory Abnormalities? A Controlled Cross-sectional Study among Indigenous University Students in Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: The blood typing is a genetically defined immune system characteristic that has a well-known role in transplantation and chemotherapy. However, it is unclear what role it could serve in diagnosing or predicting respiratory pathologies. The study aims at investigating the prevalence of respiratory disorder among ABO blood type. This study investigated the prevalence of respiratory disorder among ABO blood types.

Methods: Using a quantitative survey research design, this cross-sectional study comprises of 102 young University students (64 females and 36 males) within the age of 17-28 years, extracted from different local Government Area in Rivers State. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather the social demograpgic characteristics of respondent’s. Anthropometric investigations and respiratory function test was done.

Results: The prevalent blood types A, B, O, and AB was 19.6%, 16.7%, 56.9%, and 6.9% respectively. BMI showed that 2.9%, 39.2%, 38.2% and 19.6% was underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese respectively. Respiratory problems were distributed unevenly among blood types, with risk of obstructive pulmonary dysfunction having the highest frequency of occurrence.

Conclusion: The susceptibility to respiratory abnormalities is not associated with any blood type, the risk of obstructive pulmonary disease is higher in blood type O, which is largely influenced by the predominancy.