Scientists suggest blood type may be linked to early stroke risk

O stroke (stroke) A stroke, also called a stroke, occurs when blood vessels that carry blood to the brain clog or rupture, causing paralysis of the brain area that has lost blood circulation. The problem can compromise limb movement and is among the leading causes of disability and death in the world.

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the United States found an association between being blood type A and an increased risk of having a stroke before age 60. The results of study were published in the scientific journal Neurology.

The scientists analyzed data from at least 48 studies carried out in North America, Europe, Japan, Pakistan and Australia on genetics and ischemic stroke, which happens when the veins and arteries that supply different parts of the brain become clogged. Data from 17,000 people who had a lifetime stroke were compared to nearly 600,000 people who never developed the disease.

During the analysis, the researchers noted that blood type A predominated compared to people who had had a stroke aged 60 and over or had never had a stroke. According to the study, for these people, the risk of having an early stroke was 16% higher. For those individuals with type O, the risk was 12% lower.

Complementary studies

Neurologist Guilherme Diogo, from the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (USP) explains that the study makes a genome association.

“He can see this relationship, but he doesn’t test the mechanism of it. So he brings some hypotheses along with other studies. One of the ideas is that the ABO system is provided by glycoproteins that, in addition to being in red blood cells, are also related to proteins in platelets in the vessel wall. This changes clotting factors and a clotting factor change has been shown in other previous studies. Those who are type A have a greater tendency to make clots and also have more venous thrombosis”, says Diogo, in a statement.

The doctor who works in the areas of neuroimmunology and neurological emergencies, considers that it is not possible to say that people with blood group A are more susceptible to early stroke based on the scientific evidence so far. For the specialist, the international discovery can open doors for the scientific community to better understand which factors may be related to the problem.

“The idea of ​​these genetic risk studies is to combine several factors. For example, we can combine several of these genetic mutations with environmental factors as well. Will I be able to develop any more tests, any more early treatment from that mutation? This study alone will not be able to do this, but it could be a step towards becoming something complex”, he says.

(With information from the USP Journal)