Background: Several reports have documented the influence of ABO blood group on plasma von Willebrand Factor Antigen (vWF:Ag) levels. However, a thorough search through the literature has not revealed any study on the relationship between Rh blood group and plasma von Willebrand Factor antigen levels.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh(D) blood group among apparently healthy Nigerian subjects.
Methods: This was a cohort study of 100 Blood Donors attending the Blood Bank Unit at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. Plasma vWF:Ag levels were determined by ELISA method while the ABO and Rh(D) blood group phenotypes were determined using the standard tube method. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 16.0. Chi square was used for test of significance.
Results: The study population consisted of 63 (63%) males and 37 (37%) females with a mean age of 31.7 ± 6.39 years. The frequency of Rh(D) positive and Rh(D) negative blood groups were 95% and 5%, respectively. The mean plasma vWF:Ag concentration of the subjects was 1.38 ± 1.02 IU/ml. Group B Rh(D) positive subjects had the highest mean vWF:Ag level (2.27 ± 1.57 IU/ml), followed by group O Rh (D) negative (2.00 ± 1.04 IU/ml), group AB Rh(D) positive (1.69 ± 1.06 IU/ml), group B Rh(D) negative (1.53 ± 0.57 IU/ml), group O Rh(D) positive (1.24 ± 1.00 IU/ml) and group A Rh(D) positive (1.08 ± 0.40 IU/ml) having the lowest level.
Conclusion: There was no statistically significant association between the plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh(D) blood groups of study subjects (P = 0.1546). However, further research with larger sample size is required to determine the relationship between plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh blood group in general before reaching definite conclusion about the lack of influence of Rh blood group on the plasma level of vWF:Ag
