AB0 and rhesus blood groups as a risk factor for ARVI COVID-19

Abstract

The frequency of AB0 and Rhesus blood groups was studied in 12120 patients with COVID-19, 5180 convalescent plasma donors and 118801 healthy donors from Moscow, Smolensk, Yakutsk, Minsk and Gomel. In infected individuals, the frequency of blood group A was significantly higher than in uninfected individuals (41,54 % and 34,39 % respectively, p<0,05), and the frequency of blood group 0, on the contrary, was significantly lower (27,69 % and 36,71 %, p<0,05). The frequency of blood group A was particularly high among patients who died from ARVI COVID-19 - 45,51 % vs. 34,39 %, p=0,008. In some groups of patients, there was a decrease in the frequency of Rh-negative individuals (2,23 % vs. 8,30 %, p<0,001).

A large cohort study of the effects of Lewis, ABO, 13 other blood groups, and secretor status on COVID‐19 susceptibility, severity, and long COVID‐19

“…We did not find any other associations between blood groups and SARS‐CoV‐2. This questions the validity of previous findings of an association to the Rh blood group 11,12,14,15 …”

“…This questions the validity of previous findings of an association to the Rh blood group. 11,12,14,15 Two COVID-19 severity results worth discussing are blood type O vs AB, which was significant (p = .008), and secretor status, which was close to being significant (p = .06). Blood type AB is a rare phenotype (5%), which reduces confidence in that result.…”

“…One study has pointed to AB being least susceptible, 24 while most studies seem to agree that type O is least susceptible to infection. 2,3,[5][6][7][8][9]11,13,15 Conflicting results may well reflect the small sample sizes for the majority of published studies or because of the setting of the studies. Some studies have much higher exposure risk and inoculum sizes than others.…”

“…This questions the validity of previous findings of an association to the Rh blood group. 11 , 12 , 14 , 15 …”

“…Recent interest in SARS-CoV-2 and blood groups associations has moved beyond susceptibility, to focus on disease severity and symptom duration. While the ABO blood group continues to be the main focus of such investigations, some studies have ventured beyond and also looked at secretor status [8][9][10] and some of the many other recognized blood group systems, such as Rh 5,[11][12][13][14][15] and Lewis. 10 However, limitations of these previous studies include, for example, matching patient cases with blood donor controls 4,10 and small cohort sizes.…”