Role of ABO Blood Groups in Susceptibility and Severity of COVID-19 in the Georgian Population

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The establishment of the potential role of the infected people's ABO blood type in the virus infectivity and aggressivity could clarify the aspects of the various susceptibility to virus and play a key role in assessing its spreading potential in the future. We studied the possible association of risk of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection and severe outcomes of disease with ABO blood groups and Rh factor in the Georgian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of blood type on the severity of infection in COVID-19 positive patients admitted to the First University Clinic of Tbilisi State University (Tbilisi, Georgia) from December 2020 to September 2021 was analyzed retrospectively. The odds ratio (OR) criterion was used to determine the influence of the blood group on the risk of COVID-19 infection and of severe course of the disease. RESULTS: The incidence of COVID-19 was 1.65-fold higher in the patients with blood group II(A), and average twice lower in patients with blood groups III(B) and IV(AB), compared with the ABO blood group distribution in healthy donors of the region. The percentage of patients transferring in ICU with I(O) and II(A) blood groups was enough high (42–40%), whereas in patients with III(B) and IV(AB) blood groups very low (12–6%). There were not revealed any statistically significant differences in the distribution of the patients with Rh+ and Rh− blood groups in healthy and COVID-19 infected individuals (including those transferred in the ICU). CONCLUSION: The link between patients’ ABO blood groups and receptivity to COVID-19 infection, progression and severity of the disease, has been detected. These results are relevant in terms of elucidating the mechanisms and risk factors of infecting and severity course of COVID-19 disease. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Ratiani L, Sanikidze TV, Ormotsadze G, Pachkoria E, Sordia G. Role of ABO Blood Groups in Susceptibility and Severity of COVID-19 in the Georgian Population. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(4):487–490.