Distribution of ABO Blood Group Phenotypes Among Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease in Islamabad, Pakistan: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the distribution of ABO blood group phenotypes among patients with confirmed ischemic heart disease in Islamabad, Pakistan, and to examine their distribution across gender and angiographic categories of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methodology: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study included 200 patients aged 18–75 years with confirmed IHD who presented to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Hospital, Islamabad, between July 10, 2018, and January 10, 2019. ABO blood group data were extracted from hospital records. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations between ABO phenotypes, gender, and CAD categories were assessed using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The mean age of participants was 55.49 ± 7.17 years, and 75% were male. Blood group O was the most prevalent phenotype (50%), followed by A (27.5%), B (15%), and AB (7.5%). No statistically significant association was observed between ABO blood group and gender (p = 0.753) or angiographic severity of CAD (p = 0.709). Conclusion: In this hospital-based IHD cohort from Islamabad, blood group O was the most frequent phenotype. However, ABO distribution did not significantly vary by gender or angiographic pattern of disease. The observed distribution likely reflects regional population frequencies rather than a direct causal association. Larger controlled and multicenter studies are warranted to clarify the potential role of ABO phenotypes in cardiovascular susceptibility within the Pakistani population.