COVID-19 clinical course and blood groups: Turkish population-based study

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes the S glycoprotein to bind with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) on host cells for entry.
• Previous research indicated that anti-A antibodies could inhibit SARS-CoV S protein binding to ACE-2.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and the clinical course of COVID-19 in a Turkish population.
• To determine if specific blood groups are associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 39,850 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 18 and above was analyzed.
• Patients were randomized into age- and sex-matched groups based on their blood groups (ABO and Rh).

Main Results:

• Advanced age, male sex, and blood group A were associated with a higher rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
• No significant differences were observed in hospital admission, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation (MV) support, length of hospital/ICU stay, or case fatality rate (CFR) when comparing blood group O to non-O individuals.
• Case fatality rates for blood groups A, B, O, and AB were 2.6%, 2.2%, 3.1%, and 2.3%, respectively. Rh-negative and Rh-positive patients showed no significant differences in admission rates, MV support, or CFR.

Conclusions:

• ABO and Rh blood groups do not appear to influence the rate of hospital admission, hospital and ICU stay duration, need for mechanical ventilation, or case fatality rate in COVID-19 patients.
• The findings suggest that blood type is not a significant prognostic factor for COVID-19 severity in the studied population.