The Effect of ABO Blood Group on von Willebrand Response to Exercise

Abstract

Individuals of O blood group have significantly lower plasma levels of either Factor VIII (FVIII) or the von Willebrand factor (vWF). Conversely, there is accumulating evidence that elevated FVIII—vWF levels may represent an important risk factor for ischemic heart and venous thromboembolic disease. In this study, individuals exercised for 20 minutes at 10% below the first ventilatory threshold (aerobic threshold), which corresponds to 48% of maximum oxygen uptake. People with non-O blood group show higher resting and postexercise vWF levels compared with those of O blood group, as evidenced by a lower maximal heart rate. The groups were compared using the ANOVA one-way test, and a P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. These results could change the way in which exercise training is designed for both healthy and sick individuals because O group individuals could have a more thrombogenic response to exercise.

Keywords

coagulation thrombosis ventilatory threshold oxygen uptake

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