Blood Groups and Congenital Heart Disease

¹ Congenital Heart Disease Research and Training Center, Hektoen Institute for Medical Research; the Departments of Pathology, Northwestern University Medical School, The University of Chicago School of Medicine, and University of Illinois College of Medicine; the Pediatric Cardiology Department, Cook County Hospital; and the Loyola Psychometric Laboratory, Loyola University

A study was made of the relationship between the blood group systems ABO, MN, and Rh group and congenital heart disease in Negro children. There was a significant difference in the incidence of type B, both with respect to the total number and with respect to A and O in Negro children with and without congenital heart disease. There was also a significant difference in the incidence of type CCDee both with respect to the total number and with respect to ccDE in these two groups. A study was also made of incompatibility between mother and child in these systems. This showed no increased incidence of incompatibility in the congenital heart group. There was a lesser incidence of incompatibility in the C factor in congenital heart disease. The difference in the incidence of blood groups in congenital heart disease in Negro children may be of interest in view of the suggested greater incidence of congenital heart disease in the Japanese population where there is a significant difference in type CCDee as compared to the U.S. and Bantu populations. There is also a higher incidence of B in the Japanese population.