Is Blood Type Associated with COVID-19 Severity?

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology
• Public Health

Background:

• The association between ABO blood type and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been debated.
• However, evidence regarding blood type's impact on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity remains unclear.

Approach:

• A cohort study was conducted with 428 COVID-19 patients at the University of Cincinnati health system.
• The study analyzed the association of ABO blood types and rhesus factor with hospitalization and disease severity, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities.

Key Points:

• Blood types A, B, AB, and O showed no statistically significant association with hospitalization for COVID-19.
• Similarly, no significant association was found between blood types and intensive care unit admission or mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Conclusions:

• ABO blood type is not a significant predictor of hospitalization or disease severity in COVID-19.
• Blood type may not be a reliable marker for identifying individuals at high risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes.