Clinical characteristics and ABO blood groups in COVID-19 patients, Saudi Arabia

This study assessed the proportion of ABO blood groups and clinical characteristics among Saudi patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. This retrospective cohort study included 404 Saudi adults with COVID-19, confirmed by the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The participants were selected randomly between July 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020, from the Health Electronic Surveillance Network system, which contains the primary data on COVID-19 infections in Jazan. Blood type O (62.4%) represented the highest proportion in COVID-19 Saudi patients followed by the other blood groups which distributed as follows: blood type A (25.5%), blood type B (10.1%), and blood type AB (2%). Men, and people aged 18-44 years, represented the higher percentage than women and those of a younger age. The majority of the patients with COVID-19 had clinical symptoms (88.4%), and the remainder (11.6%) were asymptomatic. Ninety four percent of the patients had mild COVID-19 symptoms and self-isolated at home. Only 6.4% of the cases were severe and admitted to hospital. There was no significant association between a specific ABO blood group and COVID-19 clinical symptoms (P = .950), incubation period (P = .780), disease duration (P = .430), and disease severity (P = .340). Old age and diabetes were the significant predictors of COVID-19 severity and hospital admission (P = .010). Blood group O represented the highest proportion of COVID-19 Saudi patients as it is the most common blood group in Saudi individuals in Jazan. However, no specific blood group was associated with COVID-19 severity and hospital admission. Old age and diabetes mellitus were shown to be significant predictors of severe COVID-19 and hospital admission.