Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and blood groups in a population of African ancestry.
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.
Nemesure
Barbara
B
Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8036, USA.
Wu
Suh-Yuh
SY
Hennis
Anselm
A
Leske
M Cristina
MC
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
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin