A major study reveals a significant link between blood type and the risk of early-onset stroke. Researchers found that people with blood type A face a 16% higher chance of having a stroke before age 60, while those with type O1 have a 12% lower risk.
The study, published in Neurology, analyzed data from 48 genetic studies involving nearly 17,000 stroke patients and 600,000 controls aged 18 to 59. The findings pinpoint the gene responsible for the A1 blood subgroup as a key factor.
University of Maryland vascular neurologist Steven Kittner noted that early strokes are on the rise and often lead to death or long-term disability. However, experts caution that the additional risk for type A individuals is small and does not warrant extra screening.
The study also found that the increased risk for type A blood disappears after age 60, suggesting that early and late-onset strokes may have different biological mechanisms. Earlier strokes are more likely linked to clot formation than to clogged arteries.