COVID-19: beta-thalassemia subjects immunised?

Med Hypotheses. 2020 Sep:142:109827. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109827. Epub 2020 May 12.

Abstract

The novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) is a contagious acute respiratory infectious disease whose causative agent has been demonstrated to be a novel virus of the coronavirus family, SARSCoV-2. A recent PRE-print study has showed a heme attack on the 1-beta chain of hemoglobin by COVID19. Beta-thalassemia results of a default in the hemoglobin beta-chain synthesis. 1,5% global population are heterozygotes for this disease. In this study, by a multiple linear regression, we have analyzed the evolution of COVID-19 infection in three Italian regions (Puglia, Sardinia, Sicilia) with different beta-thalassemic prevalences, in order to search a link. The results have showed that betathalassemic heterozygote population prevalence is correlated to immunity against COVID-19, by a regression. This paper is only for academic discussion, the hypotheses and conclusions needs to be confirmed by further research.

Keywords: Beta thalassemia; Correlation; Favipiravir; Heme; Immunization; Italy; Novel coronavirus; Regression; Respiratory distress; Sardinia; Statistics.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Female
  • Hemoglobins / analysis
  • Hemoglobins / chemistry
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Immune System
  • Immunization
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Prevalence
  • Regression Analysis
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Treatment Outcome
  • beta-Thalassemia / complications
  • beta-Thalassemia / epidemiology
  • beta-Thalassemia / immunology*

Substances

  • Hemoglobins