ABO blood groups and cirrhosis of the liver.

Subjects and Methods The complete medical records of 347 patients with cirrhosis attending Professor Sheila Sherlock at the Royal Free Hospital, London, were examined. The diagnosis of cirrhosis was confirmed in each case by liver biopsy and/or necropsy. Of the 347 patients, 2i had been born outside the British Isles, leaving 326 patients for analysis. The distribution of blood groups to serve as a control was based on figures kindly provided by Dr. A. C. Kopec of the Blood Group Centre of the Royal Anthropological Society. It has been shown that the regional distribution of blood groups in the British Isles differs significantly, and the country may be divided into 33 areas (A. C. Kopec, i964, personal communication). The results from 2IO patients with cirrhosis, which includes types commonly referred to as