NEW DELHI: Blood groups A, B and Rh+ are more disposed to COVID-19 infection, whereas O, AB and Rh– run a lower risk, according to a new study by the Department of Research and Department of Blood Transfusion Medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH).
The study, published in the November 21 edition of Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, however, found no association between blood groups and susceptibility and severity of disease and mortality.
The study was conducted on 2,586 COVID-19 patients, tested through real-time PCR and who were admitted at SGRH from April 8 to October 4, 2020.
The study found male patients with blood group B more prone to COVID-19 than women having the same blood group. AB was observed to be more susceptible to infection in patients aged 60 years and less. According to Dr Rashmi Rana, Consultant, Department of Research, SGRH, and co-author of the study: “Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 is a new virus, and it is unclear whether blood groups have any impact on COVID-19 risk or progression. We investigated the association of ABO and Rh blood groups with COVID-19 susceptibility, prognosis, recovery time, and mortality.”
Dr Vivek Ranjan, co-author and chairperson, Department of Blood Transfusion, SGRH, said: “Our study found blood groups A and Rh+ are associated with a decrease in the recovery period, whereas blood groups O and Rh– are associated with an increase. However, the ABO and/or Rh blood groups may not be responsible for this association, as these may indicate an unexplored factor like co-morbidity.”