Association of ABO blood groups with presentation and outcomes of confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection: A prospective study in the largest COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Bangladesh

Background: Different studies in worldwide showed conflicting results on
association of Blood groups on SARS Cov-2 infection. Objective:
 To observe the association of ABO blood groups on the
presentation and outcomes of confirmed COVID -19 cases. Design, Setting,
and Participants: This was a Prospective cohort study of the
patients with mild to moderately severe COVID -19 infections, presented in
the COVID-19 unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Participants were
enrolled from 01 June to 25 august, 2020. Patient were followed up for at
least 30 days after the onset of the disease. For the estimation we
grouped A positive and A negative blood group into group-1 and other blood
groups into group II. Results: Total 438 patients were included
in the cohort, 52 patients lost to follow up, 5 died and 381 patients
completed the study. Prevalence of Blood group A [144(32.9 %)] was
significantly higher among COVID-19 patients than the general population
(p < 0.001).The Presenting age [{mean (SD)] of group I [42.1(14.5)]
was higher than group II [38.8(12.4), p=0.014]. The gender
 (p=0.23) and co-morbidity (hypertension p=0.34, diabetes p=0.13)
did not differ between the patients with group I and group II. Regarding
Important Presenting symptoms, Fever (p=0.72), cough (p=0.69) and
Respiratory distress (p=0.09), no difference were observed. There was no
significant difference regarding the median duration of symptoms in group
I 12(9-16)] days and group II [12 (8-15)], (HR, 95% CI,1.14 (0.91-1.41,
p=0.25), conversion to next level of severity in group I 26 (20.6%) and in
group II 36 (13.8%)  (RR, 95%CI- 1.49 (0.94 - 2.35), p=0.09) and
development of post COVD symptoms in group I 65 (51.6%) and in group II
107(41.1 %), (RR, 95%CI- 1.25 (1.00 - 1.57), p=0.05). But the persistent
positivity of RT-PCR at 14 days of initial positivity in group I 24 (19%)
and in group II (11.1 %)  (RR, 95%CI-1.71 (1.04 - 2.81), p=0.04)
was higher among the patients in group I.  
Conclusions:  Prevalence of blood group A was higher among
COVID-19 patients. ABO blood group has no association with the
presentation and recovery period of COVID-19. But patients with blood
group-A had delayed sero conversion.