G-3333

Blood Group and COVID-19 Susceptibility: A Correlative Study

 Massoumeh Ansari ¹ ℗, Parsa Hatam ², Latife Jabbari ³, Mahsa Mahmoudi ⁴, Sholeh Saedmoucheshi ⁵, Leila Azizkhani ^6,7 ©   

 
Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2, an RNA virus belonging to the Beta-Coronavirus genus. This study, conducted in Sanandaj, aimed to explore the association between blood group antigens and an individual's susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the diverse clinical manifestations of COVID-19, and the ultimate prognosis of infected patients. Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed medical records of 420 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to Tohid Hospital, Sanandaj, Iran, between March 25 and December 2021 (Ethics Code=IR.MUK.REC.1399.023). Data meticulously extracted included demographics (age, gender), a comprehensive list of clinical symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, weakness, loss of olfaction and taste, body pain, digestive problems), hospitalization duration, comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, lung diseases), and patient outcome (mortality). ABO blood typing was precisely performed using an indirect (reverse) method: 5% suspensions of A, B, and O (control) red blood cells were mixed with patient serum and assessed for agglutination after gentle shaking and centrifugation. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 16, employing Chi-square, Fisher's Exact Test, ANOVA, and independent t-tests to determine relationships. Logistic regression models calculated Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for specific blood groups, with P0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results: The findings showed that the mean age of the participants was 58.7±18.32 years. The O blood group distribution was significantly related to the mean term of hospitalization (P0.001). A study of 420 COVID-19 patients revealed a significant association between ABO blood groups and disease severity. Blood group O correlated with longer hospitalization, while AB and A were linked to more severe shortness of breath, and B to a higher incidence of cough. Pulmonary diseases were more prevalent in group A, and fever and loss of taste/olfaction were common in group AB. Anti-A and anti-B antibodies also correlated with specific symptoms. Notably, mortality risk was significantly higher in patients with blood group AB, a finding confirmed by logistic regression, which identified fever along with group AB as factors increasing death risk. Conclusion and Discussion: This study elucidated the relationship between ABO blood groups and COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Findings indicated that blood group O, despite being associated with prolonged patient hospitalization, did not correlate with a high mortality rate. Conversely, blood group AB was significantly linked to an increased risk of infection and mortality, presenting the worst prognosis. These results underscore the critical role of genetic factors, particularly blood group antigens, in determining individual susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and disease progression. Understanding these associations can significantly aid in improving patient risk stratification and developing more targeted therapeutic strategies in COVID-19 management.

Keywords: Blood Group Antigens, Antibodies, COVID-19, Pandemics, Iran