Association Between ABO-RHD Blood Groups and COVID-19: A Preliminary Study of 76 Cases

Abstract

<i>Introduction: </i>Blood types are most often incriminated in susceptibility to COVID-19. Blood group O subjects are reportedly less susceptible to COVID-19. However, these reports are mainly from countries with high infection rates. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the association between the risk of COVID-19 infection, its severity, and ABO-RHD blood groups at the Training Hospitals of Bouake and Cocody (Ivory Coast). <i>Material and methods: </i>This was a prospective study that lasted four months. All patients with COVID-19 at the time of the study and followed at the Training Hospitals of Bouake and Cocody, hospitalized in the COVID-19 centers or in home confinement, were included. T lymphocyte subpopulations were counted on the BD FACS Calibur flow cytometer after labeling. ABO and RHD blood typing was performed in all patients. <i>Results: </i>Of the 76 patients collected, 78.9% were homebound, 18.4% in hospital and 2.6% in the ICU. The mean age was 41.92 ± 15.13 years with a male predominance. The majority of hospitalized patients were significantly of blood group A (p=0.020). CD4 and CD8 T lymphopenia were significantly more frequent in patients with blood group A than in those with blood groups B, AB and O. <i>Conclusion: </i>The impact of blood group on the severity of the disease would exist. Our study showed that blood group A subjects were more likely to have COVID-19. In addition, a statistically significant association between blood type A and CD4 and CD8 T lymphopenia was found. These results should be confirmed by studies based on larger patient samples.