Association of ABO with Some Cardiovascular Parameters among Students in Bayelsa State College of Health Technology, Otuogidi-Ogbia

Abstract

Background: The ABO blood group has been investigated in relation to cardiovascular risk markers, but population-specific evidence among apparently healthy Nigerian students remains limited. Aim: The study aims to evaluate the association between ABO blood group and cardiovascular markers, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and lipid profile, among BYCOHTECH students. Study Design: An analytical cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Bayelsa State College of Health Technology, Otuogidi-Ogbia, from January to April 2026. Methodology: A study involving 300 students (aged 16–40 years) was conducted. ABO blood groups were determined using the tile method. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight; systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded; and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL were measured enzymatically. Data were analysed using the chi-square test and one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 25, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Blood group O was the most prevalent (49.0%), followed by B (24.3%), A (22.3%), and AB (4.3%). Mean BMI was 20.94 ± 4.30 kg/m², with 28.7% of participants underweight, 10.0% overweight, and 2.3% obese. No significant association was found between ABO blood group and BMI category (χ² = 4.37, p = 0.885) or mean BMI (p = 0.49). Blood group AB had numerically higher systolic (143.50 ± 14.39 mmHg) and diastolic (72.0 ± 11.05 mmHg) blood pressures; however, differences across groups were not statistically significant (p = 0.23 and p = 0.57, respectively). Similarly, no significant differences were observed across blood groups for total cholesterol (p = 0.84), triglycerides (p = 0.88), HDL (p = 0.23), or LDL (p = 0.77). Conclusion: ABO blood group was not significantly associated with BMI, blood pressure, or lipid profile in this population, indicating that the ABO phenotype was not an independent determinant of the cardiovascular risk markers assessed in this group.