ABO groups can play a role in susceptibility and severity of COVID-19

• Published in: Egyptian Journal of Bronchology Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Samra, S., Habeb, M., Nafae, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: ABO blood groups; Age; Asthma; Blood groups; Body mass index; Chronic illnesses; Comorbidity; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Diabetes; Disease; Disease susceptibility; Females; Health aspects; Hospitals; Hypertension; Infection; Infections; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Mortality; Patients; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Severity; Variables; Ventilators; COVID-19; Severity; ABO blood groups; Mortality
• ISSN: 1687-8426; 2314-8551
• DOI: 10.1186/s43168-020-00051-w

Background A few people infected by the coronavirus become seriously ill, while others show little to no signs of the symptoms, or are asymptomatic. Recent researches are pointing to the fact that the ABO blood group might play an important role in a person’s susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection. Aim of the study: try to understand the relationship between ABO groups and COVID-19 (susceptibility and severity). Results A total of (507) patients were included in this study. The study population was divided based on the ABO blood group into types A+, A−, B+, AB, O+, and O−. Blood group A was associated with high susceptibility of infection: group A, 381 (75.1%); and less common in group O, 97 (19.2%), group B, 18 (3.5%), and group AB, 11 (2.2%). The severity of COVID-19 infection was common in non-blood group O where (20 (7.1%), 4 (26.7%), 2 (11%), and 1 (9%) in type A+, A−, B+, and AB, respectively), while in type O 3.1%. And mechanically ventilated patients were 22 (5.9%), 2 (13.4%), 2 (11.1%), and 1 (1%). Mortality was high in blood groups A and B, 16 (4.37%) and 1 (5.5%), respectively, while in blood group O, it was 1%. Conclusion The incidence, severity, and mortality of COVID-19 were common in non-blood group O. While blood group O was protected against COVID-19.