Correlation of ABO Rh and Cholelithiasis: A Prospective Observational Study in a Zonal Hospital, North India

Abstract

Background: Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood group system in 1901 and Rh factor in 1940, since then, scientists searched for an association between different pathologies and the ABO blood group system of patients. ABO blood groups have been shown to be associated not only with various diseases but also with metabolic process. Objective: This study was done to determine if there is any significant correlation between ABO-Rh and cholelithiasis. Materials and Methods: This is hospital-based prospective observational study in which 360 patients with ultrasonography proven symptomatic cholelithiasis, belonging to different socioeconomic conditions and various geographical locations of India, underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy formed the study population. The ABO Rh of the 360 patients was done by standard agglutination technique in blood bank of department of pathology. For statistical analysis data were enter into the MS Excel sheet. Results: Cholelithiasis was predominant in females (85%) than males. Age group of 51–60 years has the maximum number of patients. Blood group “O” has maximum number of cholelithiasis patients (69.6%) followed blood group “B” (37.2%). Among blood group “O” Rh positive had numerous stone of cholesterol type, followed by blood group “B” Rh positive. Conclusion: In this study, incidence of cholelithiasis was maximum in the blood group “O” Rh positive with the cholesterol stones as the predominant type of stone. These results has not corroborated with the existing literature, suggesting variability. A large prospective study could potentially reveal if any correlation exists and this could open the doorway to future research on the etiologies of gall stone diseases.