Erythrocyte P1 group antigen expression in VTEC-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome.

BACKGROUND

The P1 blood group antigen has been postulated as a protective host factor against the development of the verotoxin-associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study the P1 blood group antigen in 59 Japanese children with a past history of hemorrhagic colitis (HC) was scored with a direct agglutination method using a commercial anti P1 antibody.

RESULTS

The P1 antigen was positive in 4 (21.1%) of 19 patients with a history of postdiarrheal HUS and in 11 (28.0%) of 40 patients with no history. There were no significant differences in the frequency of the P1 phenotype between the 2 groups (p = 0.629).

CONCLUSION

We concluded that the P1 blood group antigen is not a protective factor against the development of HUS from verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli(VTEC)-infected hemorrhagic colitis in Japanese individuals.