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. 2021 Apr 20;11(1):61.
doi: 10.1186/s13613-021-00844-2.

ABO blood types and sepsis mortality

Theis S Itenov  1   2 , Daniel I Sessler  3 , Ashish K Khanna  4   5 , Sisse R Ostrowski  6   7 , Pär I Johansson  7 , Christian Erikstrup  8 , Ole B Pedersen  9 , Sofie L Rygård  10 , Lars B Holst  10 , Morten H Bestle  11   12 , Lars Hein  11 , Anne Lindhardt  13 , Hami Tousi  14 , Mads H Andersen  15 , Thomas Mohr  16 , Jens D Lundgren  6 , Jens-Ulrik Jensen  6   17   5
Affiliations

ABO blood types and sepsis mortality

Theis S Itenov et al. Ann Intensive Care. .

Abstract

Background: We aimed to determine if the ABO blood types carry different risks of 30-day mortality, acute kidney injury (AKI), and endothelial damage in critically ill patients with sepsis. This was a retrospective cohort study of three independent cohorts of critically ill patients from the United States and Scandinavia consisting of adults with septic shock. We compared the 30-day mortality across the blood types within each cohort and pooled the results in a meta-analysis. We also estimated the incidence of AKI and degree of endothelial damage, as measured by blood concentrations of soluble thrombomodulin and syndecan-1.

Results: We included 12,342 patients with severe sepsis. In a pooled analysis blood type B carried a slightly lower risk of 30-day all-cause mortality compared to non-blood type B (adjusted HR 0.88; 95%-CI 0.79-0.98; p = 0.02). There was no difference in the risk of AKI. Soluble thrombomodulin and syndecan-1 concentrations were lower in patients with blood type B and O compared to blood type A, suggesting less endothelial damage.

Conclusion: Septic patients with blood type B had less endothelial damage, and a small reduction in mortality. The exposure is, however, unmodifiable.

Keywords: Anaesthesia; Blood type; Intensive care; Mortality; Sepsis; Septic shock.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Patient inclusion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Crude 30-day mortality in three independent ICU cohorts
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The effect of blood B versus non-blood type B on 30-day mortality in three independent ICU cohorts—individual patient data meta-analysis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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