European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABO BLOOD GROUPS AND SOME HAEMOSTATIC PARAMETERS AMONGST MEDICAL STUDENTS IN NIGER DELTA UNIVERSITY, BAYELSA STATE

Ojeka S. O., Dabirilagha O. F. and Zabbey V. Z.*

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Distinctive human ABO blood type antigens present on the surface of the human red blood cells are helpful in actively predicating physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions of the cells. It has been severally claimed to have marked link with some haemostatic indices. The present study was therefore carried out to assess the relationship between the ABO blood groups and some haemostatic parameters amongst medical students in Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. Materials and Method: This study was a cross sectional survey-based study conducted in the Department of Human Physiology of University of Port Harcourt. The study made use of a sample size of 171 male and female undergraduate medical students of the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. A multi-stage (involving stratified and random sampling) sampling technique was used for the study. Results: The result indicated that the males had significantly (P<0.05) lower bleeding time than their female counterparts. The ABO blood groups distribution pattern was found to be: O > B > A > AB for the medical students. The findings on the association between bleeding and clotting times according to the subjects’ ABO blood group revealed bleeding and clotting times that were significantly higher in both gender of blood group O when compared to others. There were significant (P<0.05) associations between the bleeding and clotting times and ABO blood groups of the subjects. Conclusion: The outcome of the present study is useful for promoting awareness and guide for both the populace and healthcare providers in helping with transfusion, disease prediction and marital/pregnancy counseling.

Keywords: Blood group, bleeding time, clotting time, BMI and gender.