title: Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and blood groups in a population of African ancestry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possible relationship of hypertension and diabetes with the ABO, Rhesus, and Duffy blood groups, which are known markers of African ancestry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 1253 Barbados residents, > or = 40 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive treatment; type 2 diabetes was defined as a glycosylated hemoglobin level >10% and/or a history of treatment in those >30 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In logistic regression analyses, elevated diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with years of age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95% confidence interval CI 1.02-1.05), the Rhesus D+ antigen (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.21-5.97) and body mass index (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.19-1.96), but negatively associated with the ABO blood group A allele (OR 0.68, 95% CI .48-.97). A separate logistic regression model indicated that the likelihood of diabetes increased with years of age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04), hypertension (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.10-2.20), body mass index (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.29-2.20), and waist-hip ratio (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05-1.75), but decreased with presence of the Rhesus C+ antigen (OR .66, 95% CI .44-.97).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The associations of diabetes and hypertension to these blood groups support possible genetic influences on both conditions in this and similar African-origin populations; however, further investigations in other settings are necessary to more fully elucidate these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8036, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nemesure
authors.forename: Suh-Yuh
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Anselm
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hennis
authors.forename: M Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Leske
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin