Correlation between CT chest severity score (CT-SS) and ABO blood group system in Egyptian patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global health crisis. CT chest is considered as an important investigation for early diagnosis as well as assessment of severity of COVID-19 pneumonia. Several articles reported that there is a correlation between ABO blood group system and susceptibility as well as prognosis of the disease. In our study we correlated the CT severity score (CT-SS) and the ABO blood group in patients with COVID-19 infection. This study involved 547 symptomatic patients with pathologically proven COVID-19 infection (positive PCR); non contrast CT chest was done for all cases and CT severity score (CT-SS) was calculated followed by its correlation with the patients’ ABO blood group. Aim of the work was to evaluate the relation between CT-SS and the ABO blood groups in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: The mean CT-SS in patients with blood group A patients (n = 153; 28%) was 13.7 (moderate severity), while in patients with blood group O (n = 227; 41.5%) the mean CT-SS was 6.7 (mild severity). In blood group B patients (n = 139; 25.4%) the mean CT-SS was 9.1 (mild to moderate severity) and in blood group AB patients (n = 28; 5.1%) the mean CT-SS was 9.7 (mild to moderate severity). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with blood group A are more prone to aggressive CT findings (higher CT-SS) and consequently may be susceptible to increased risk of mortality compared to the patients with other blood groups; however, patients with blood group O are suggested to have the least CT-SS and appear to be relatively protected.