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Association of Sickle Cell Trait with Risk and Mortality of COVID-19: Results from the United Kingdom Biobank

W Kyle Resurreccion1, Joseph Hulsizer2, Zhuqing Shi1

  • 11Program for Personalized Cancer Care, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|June 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Black individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT) showed similar COVID-19 infection rates but higher mortality. SCT carriers with diabetes faced significantly increased COVID-19 mortality risk.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Sickle cell trait (SCT) involves inheriting one copy of the Glu6Val hemoglobin mutation, prevalent in Black populations (5-10%).
  • Hemoglobin's role in immune function and observed disparities in COVID-19 severity among Black individuals warrant investigation into SCT's impact.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between sickle cell trait and COVID-19 infection and mortality risk in Black individuals.
  • To examine the specific risk of COVID-19 mortality among Black SCT carriers, particularly those with pre-existing diabetes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the United Kingdom Biobank to analyze COVID-19 infection and mortality rates.
  • Compared outcomes between Black individuals with SCT and non-carriers who underwent COVID-19 testing.

Main Results:

  • Infection rates for COVID-19 were similar between Black SCT carriers (19.7%) and non-carriers (21.1%).
  • COVID-19 mortality was higher in Black SCT carriers (28.6%) compared to non-carriers (12.6%), though not statistically significant (OR, 3.04; P=0.12).
  • Black SCT carriers with diabetes exhibited a dramatically higher COVID-19 mortality rate (100%) than those without diabetes (0%; OR, 90.71; P=0.0005).

Conclusions:

  • Black SCT carriers may face an elevated risk of COVID-19 mortality.
  • The combination of sickle cell trait and pre-existing diabetes poses a disproportionately high risk for COVID-19 mortality in Black individuals.
  • Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to confirm these findings.

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