ABO and Rh blood groups in patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are autoimmune diseases in which the antigen-antibody system plays an important role. As blood group and Rh are determined by the presence or absence of antigens on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs), we aimed to determine the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in SLE and RA patients and its association with disease manifestations.

Methods: This short communication is based on a study that was conducted on 434 SLE and 828 RA patients.