ABO Blood System Associated with Susceptibility, and Rhesus (Rh) Status Associated with Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients, (Southeast of Iran)

The ABO/Rh blood groups were related to susceptibility to numerous infectious and non-infectious diseases. Here, the association of ABO/Rh groups with susceptibility to COVID-19 and disease severity was investigated in a population from southeast Iran.

 In this descriptive study, information regarding the clinical characteristics and ABO/Rh blood groups was collected from 524 patients with COVID-19 from March to October, 2020. The data of blood groups from patients were compared with those from 7365 healthy individuals during the same period. Data was analyzed using SPSS.

 No significant differences were found between COVID-19 patients and the healthy group regarding the proportions of A, B, and O blood groups. However, the proportion of the AB blood group was significantly higher in COVID-19 patients than that in healthy people (11.8% versus 8.2%, P <0.004). When the A group was considered as a reference, the AB blood group was associated to a greater risk of COVID-19 [OR: 1.45 (1.06-1.98), P<0.02]. No association was found between ABO blood groups and COVID-19 severity. The proportion of the Rh-positive blood group was slightly higher in COVID-19 patients than in the other group. The proportion of Rh-negative patients was greater in severe COVID-19 than in mild and moderate forms (P<0.001). In A, AB, and O blood groups, the proportions of Rh-negative patients were greater in severe COVID-19 than those with mild and moderate disease (P=0.05, P<0.05, and P<0.001, respectively).

 The AB blood group was associated with greater susceptibility to COVID-19, while Rh-negative status was positively associated with disease severity.