A major new study has suggested a link between blood type and stroke risk, after finding people with type A blood had a higher risk of having strokes before age 60 when compared to people with type O blood.
US scientists at the University of Maryland compared genetic differences between 16,370 young adults with cases of ischemic stroke (inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body, such as the brain) and 599,237 non-stroke control participants.
Lead author Professor Braxton Mitchell told medicalnewstoday.com: ‘We found significant differences between the two groups in the frequency of gene variants that code for the ABO blood group.
‘Specifically, cases were more likely than control to have variants that coded for blood group A and less likely to have variants that code for blood group O.’
Their findings, reported in the journal Neurology, also suggested this risk for stroke could be related to an increased risk for blood clots to form among people with type A blood. Professor Mitchell explained the ‘results indicate blood groups may tag a heightened susceptibility to early onset stroke, perhaps by increasing susceptibility to thrombosis’.
Prominent California neuro-surgeon Dr Sandra Narayanan (who was not involved in the research) commented: ‘This study adds to our body of knowledge on non-modifiable risk factors for cerebrovascular disease.
‘The findings are a reminder that being identified as having a riskier genetic profile for stroke may potentially serve as a positive impetus for lifestyle change.’
She noted ‘up to 80% of strokes’ could be prevented by ‘healthy lifestyle interventions to prevent cerebrovascular disease from occurring or progressing’ – such as quitting smoking, eating a Mediterranean-style diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts), doing regular exercise in any form and knowing your cholesterol levels.
Dr Narayanan declared bluntly: ‘Start early – 10-15% of strokes occur in adults younger that 50 years of age.’
