title: Association of ABO and Rh blood groups with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The phenotypic "ABO" blood groups are inherited antigenic substances which are found on the surface of red blood cells in addition to other tissues. Certain hypothesis advocates that genetic predisposition like "ABO" blood group would be associated with occurrence of diseases including type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between "ABO" and "Rhesus" blood groups with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified 47 research documents in a data based search including ISI-Web of Science, EMBASE and PubMed. Literature was explored using the key terms including "ABO blood groups" "type 2 diabetes". Studies in which "ABO" blood types and diabetes mellitus were discussed included without restrictions of research documents, types, status and language of the publications. Finally, 15 publications which matched our criteria were included, and remaining studies were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood group "B" was associated with high incidence of type 2 diabetes and blood group "O" has a minimum association with type 2 diabetes. Blood group "A" and "AB" were almost equally distributed in both diabetic and non-diabetic population. However, we were unable to find an association between "Rh+ve" and "Rh-ve" blood groups with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects with blood group "B" are at high risk while individuals with blood group "O" are at low peril of evolving type 2 diabetes. It is suggested that subjects with blood group "B" should be closely monitored by physicians as these subjects have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Department of Surgery (Plastic Surgery Division); College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.sultanmeo@hotmail.com/smeo@ksu.edu.sa.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Meo
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rouq
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suraya
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Zaidi
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System