Association between blood groups and COVID-19 outcome in Iranian patients

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The complex clinical presentation of COVID-19 necessitates exploring various contributing factors.
• Existing research on the association between blood groups and COVID-19 outcomes presents inconsistent findings.
• Understanding these associations can aid in predicting disease severity and patient prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and the clinical outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Iran.
• To identify specific blood types that may be associated with increased or decreased risk of mortality from COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzing data from 1554 hospitalized COVID-19 patients at 5 Azar Hospital, Iran, between March and December 2020.
• Data collected included patient blood group (ABO and Rh), demographic information, and clinical outcomes (recovery or death).
• Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between blood groups and the odds of death.

Main Results:

• The study included 1554 patients, with 1267 recoveries and 287 deaths.
• Blood type O+ was the most prevalent (29.6%), and AB- was the least common (0.5%). Among deceased patients, O+ was also the most frequent blood type (31.4%).
• Logistic regression indicated that individuals with blood types A- and B- had higher odds of death compared to the A+ group, while B+, AB+, O+, and O- had lower odds.

Conclusions:

• This study suggests a potential link between specific blood types and the clinical outcome of COVID-19.
• Blood group A- and B- were associated with increased mortality risk, whereas B+, AB+, O+, and O- were associated with decreased risk relative to A+.
• Further large-scale cohort studies are warranted to validate these findings and their clinical implications.