ABO blood group antigens are glycoproteins and glycolipids expressed on the surface of red cells, platelets and endothelial cells acting as a principle agents for endothelial cell proliferation and their expression is partially dependent on racial origin.1 and 2
In the last two decades, several studies have been reported that ABO blood groups are linked with a risk of coronary artery disease and ABO blood groups could play a role in the coronary atherosclerosis process through a modulation in the vascular endothelial hemostasis.2, 3, 4 and 5
However, the potential mechanism linking ABO groups with coronary artery disease remains unclear and little is known regarding the association of blood groups with subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiac fat deposits.
Recently, the important role of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and pericardial fat volume (PFV) as an imaging markers of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis assessed by multidetector CT (MDCT) have been reported in several large follow-up studies for assessing the extent and early coronary endothelial dysfunction that may precede the development of mature atherosclerotic changes of coronary artery disease.6, 7, 8 and 9
The main aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between ABO blood groups with coronary atherosclerotic markers (CAC, coronary plaque presence and coronary luminal stenosis) and PFV in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
Patients and methods