Diabetes Mellitus and the Blood Groups

The results of studies of the possible association between the ABO, Rhesus and the MN blood groups and diabetes mellitus and the secretion of blood group substances in the saliva of these patients have been reported. There is evidence of borderline statistical significance suggesting an association between the ABO blood groups and diabetes mellitus characterized by an increased frequency of the disease in persons of blood type B and a decreased frequency in those of blood type AB. However, because of the conflicting findings reported by other investigators, this probably represents a random distribution of the blood types within diabetes mellitus patients or some undetected specious factor rather than a cause and effect association between the ABO blood groups and diabetes mellitus.