Individuals with THIS blood type are more likely to have an early-onset stroke
Strokes can be deadly, and their aftereffects can be very disastrous. But what if it were possible to anticipate your risk of stroke, particularly before the age of 60? No, this is not a phony forecast. You already have a genetic predisposition to stroke. According to a novel study, some blood types may be more susceptible to early-onset stroke.
A recent meta-analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) suggests that your blood type may be able to predict your risk of experiencing a stroke before the age of sixty. This may result in novel approaches for predicting and preventing strokes in young adults. The journal Neurology has published the results.
When there is abrupt bleeding in the brain or when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, a stroke may result. Two categories of strokes exist.
1. An ischemic stroke
2. Stroke hemorrhaging
An ischemic stroke is a stroke that happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. In contrast, hemorrhagic strokes happen when a blood artery bursts and bleeds into the brain. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, making them the most prevalent form.
Stroke risk and blood type
According to the current study, a person's blood type may have an impact on how likely they are to have an early stroke. All relevant information from genetic studies on ischemic strokes in younger persons under 60 years of age was included in the meta-analysis.
There is an increase in the number of people who have early strokes. These individuals are more likely to pass away following a life-threatening incident, and those who survive may be disabled for decades. The causes of early strokes are not well studied, according to a statement from study co-principal investigator Steven J. Kittner, MD, MPH, a neurologist with the University of Maryland Medical Center and a professor of neurology at UMSOM.
17,000 stroke patients and almost 600,000 healthy controls who had never had a stroke were included in a meta-analysis of 48 research on genetics and ischemic stroke conducted by Kittner and his colleagues. The scientists looked at the genetic variables linked to early strokes and identified differences that might account for some people's increased risk.
They discovered that, in contrast to those who experienced a late stroke or never experienced one, those who experienced an early stroke had a higher likelihood of having blood type A and a lower likelihood of having blood type O, which is the most prevalent blood type. Blood type B was also more prevalent in both early and late stroke cases as compared to controls. According to the study, those with blood type A were 16% more likely than those with other blood types to get an early stroke. Compared to those with other blood types, those with blood type O were 12% less likely to have a stroke.
Blood type and the likelihood of an early-onset stroke were found to be related in our meta-analysis, which examined people's genetic profiles. Blood type was significantly less strongly associated with later-onset stroke than with early-onset stroke, according to study co-principal investigator Braxton D. Mitchell, PhD, MPH, a professor of medicine at UMSOM.
Additionally, they emphasized that the elevated risk was extremely low and that people with type A blood should not be concerned about an early-onset stroke or undergo additional screening or medical testing because of this study.
Although the exact cause of blood type A's increased risk is unknown, it most certainly has to do with blood-clotting components like platelets, blood vessel lining cells, and other circulating proteins, all of which contribute to the formation of blood clots. More follow-up research is obviously needed to elucidate the processes underlying elevated stroke risk, Dr. Kittner stated. According to earlier research, people with blood type A may also be slightly more susceptible to deep vein thrombosis, a condition that causes blood clots in the legs.
This study poses a significant query that necessitates further research into the potential contribution of our genetically predetermined blood type to the danger of an early stroke. It highlights the pressing need to develop fresh strategies to shield younger adults from these potentially catastrophic occurrences," the researchers continued.
