Rheumatoid Factor Seropositivity and its Association with ABO and Rh Blood Groups in an Elderly Population

Introduction: Rheumatoid factor (RF) is an autoantibody commonly found in rheumatic, non-rheumatic, and infectious diseases, as well as in some healthy elderly individuals. Given the established associations between ABO/Rh blood groups and various RF-related disease conditions, exploring a possible link between these blood group phenotypes and RF seropositivity is of scientific interest. This study aims to determine the association between ABO/Rh blood groups and rheumatoid factor antibody positivity among elderly individuals. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 elderly individuals aged ?60 years. RF screening was performed using a latex agglutination method, while ABO and Rh blood groups were determined using the cell-tile method. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22.0, with significance set at p<0.05. Results: RF antibody was positive in 29 (31.5%) of participants. Blood group distribution among RF positive and RF negative individuals followed the pattern O>A>B>AB and Rh D positive > Rh D negative. Pearson’s chi-square analysis revealed no statistically significant association between ABO or Rh blood group and RF antibody status (p>0.05). Conclusion: The study found no significant association between ABO or Rh blood group phenotypes and rheumatoid factor antibody positivity among the elderly population studied. Larger, more diverse studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify other factors influencing RF positivity in the elderly.