The Association of Blood Groups and COVID-19 Infection in Pakistani Population with Respect to Age and Gender in a Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Age may be one of the determinants that increases the probability of COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, gender has been recognized as a major predictor of COVID-19 illness, with males having a larger proportion of severe COVID-19 disease than females. Some biological markers in the host have also been discovered as putative COVID-19 infection indicators. The kind of markers have recently been discovered as a major determinant for COVID-19 infection among these parameters. Objective: To detect if COVID-19 infection is associated with blood type with respect to age and gender. Methods: It was a case-control study that took place at COVID ICU of Hussain Lakhni Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from Jun 2021 to Dec 2021. Cases (n=511) were individuals ranging in age from 15 to 80 years old, of either gender, who had COVID-19 infection confirmed by a real-time PCR test. Healthy people (n=511) served as controls. Data on age, gender, weight, height, BMI, residence, educational status, socio-economic status, comorbid and ABO blood type of patients were collected. The data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 23. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 54.01±11.16 years, 57% were males and 43% were females. COVID-19 infection was 2.84 times higher in people with blood type A (OR=2.84, 95% CI=1.68-4.79) and 2.19 times higher in people with blood group B (OR=2.19, 95% CI=1.29-3.72, p=0.003) than in people with blood group O. In age group≥50 years, the odds of COVID-19 infection were 1.88 times higher in individuals with blood type B as compared to blood group O (aOR=1.88, 95% CI=1.01-3.52). Among females, the odds of COVID-19 infection were 2.51 folds higher in individuals with blood type A as compared to blood group O (aOR=2.51, 95% CI=1.05-6.05). On the multivariable model, no association of blood group with COVID-19 was observed for sub-group of age <50 years and male gender. Conclusion: Individuals with blood group A have higher liability to acquire COVID-19 than blood group O. In older age, the chances of getting COVID-19 are more in blood type B, and in females, the chances of getting COVID-19 are higher in blood type A.