IFITM3 rs12252 polymorphism association with COVID-19 severity and mortality in a Brazilian sample: an update and a meta-analysis

Abstract

This study investigated the association between the IFITM3 rs12252 polymorphism and the severity and mortality of COVID-19 in hospitalized Brazilian patients. A total of 102 COVID-19 patients were included, and the outcomes of interest were defined as death and the need for mechanical ventilation. Genotypes were assessed using Taqman probes. No significant associations were found between the rs12252 polymorphism and COVID-19 outcomes in the original sample, both for death and the need for mechanical ventilation. A meta-analysis, incorporating previous studies that used death as a severity indicator, revealed no association in the allelic and C-recessive models. However, due to the rarity of the T allele and its absence in the sample, further replication studies in larger and more diverse populations are needed to clarify the role of rs12252 in COVID-19 prognosis.