title: Reduced frequency of blood group Lewis a-b- in female Type 1 diabetes patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine a disputed association between the Lewis(a(-)b(-)) phenotype and Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
  
  
  METHODS
  Lewis red blood cell phenotyping was performed for 97 T1D White patients and 100 control subjects using monoclonal antibodies. Two historical cohorts were also included as a control population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T1D patients had a lower frequency (4.1%) of Lewis(a(-)b(-)) blood group compared with simultaneously tested healthy control subjects (10.0%) and the historical control group (11.1%, P = 0.02). Male T1D patients showed a Lewis(a(-)b(-)) frequency of 8.0%, which was similar to both matched healthy male donors (9.8%) and historical (9.5%) male control subjects. Unexpectedly, none of the female T1D patients displayed Lewis(a(-)b(-)) phenotype, vs. 10.3% and 10.8% of female control subjects (P = 0.039 and 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Lewis(a(-)b(-)) phenotype occurs less frequently in T1D compared with healthy control subjects with a strong female gender bias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kharagjitsingh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prinsen
authors.forename: H H P J
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lemkes
authors.forename: R R P
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Roep
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buschard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens