Novel risk loci for COVID-19 hospitalization among admixed American populations
Authors: Diz-de Almeida Silvia , Cruz Raquel , Luchessi Andre D , Lorenzo-Salazar José M , de Heredia Miguel López , Quintela Inés , González-Montelongo Rafaela , Nogueira Silbiger Vivian , Porras Marta Sevilla , Tenorio Castaño Jair Antonio , Nevado Julian , Aguado Jose María , Aguilar Carlos , Aguilera-Albesa Sergio , Almadana Virginia , Almoguera Berta , Alvarez Nuria , Andreu-Bernabeu Álvaro , Arana-Arri Eunate , Arango Celso , Arranz María J , Artiga Maria-Jesus , Baptista-Rosas Raúl C , Barreda- Sánchez María , Belhassen-Garcia Moncef , Bezerra Joao F , Bezerra Marcos AC , Boix-Palop Lucía , Brion María , Brugada Ramón , Bustos Matilde , Calderón Enrique J , Carbonell Cristina , Castano Luis , Castelao Jose E , Conde-Vicente Rosa , Cordero-Lorenzana M Lourdes , Cortes-Sanchez Jose L , Corton Marta , Darnaude M Teresa , De Martino-Rodríguez Alba , del Campo-Pérez Victor , de Bustamante Aranzazu Diaz , Domínguez-Garrido Elena , Eirós Rocío , Fariñas María Carmen , Fernandez-Nestosa María J , Fernández-Robelo Uxía , Fernández-Rodríguez Amanda , Fernández-Villa Tania , Gago-Dominguez Manuela , Gil-Fournier Belén , Gómez-Arrue Javier , Álvarez Beatriz González , Bernaldo de Quirós Fernan Gonzalez , González-Neira Anna , González-Peñas Javier , Gutiérrez-Bautista Juan F , Herrero María José , Herrero-Gonzalez Antonio , Jimenez-Sousa María A , Lattig María Claudia , Borja Anabel Liger , Lopez-Rodriguez Rosario , Mancebo Esther , Martín-López Caridad , Martín Vicente , Martinez-Nieto Oscar , Martinez-Lopez Iciar , Martinez-Resendez Michel F , Martinez-Perez Angel , Mazzeu Juliana F , Macías Eleuterio Merayo , Minguez Pablo , Cuerda Victor Moreno , Oliveira Silviene F , Ortega-Paino Eva , Parellada Mara , Paz-Artal Estela , Santos Ney PC , Pérez-Matute Patricia , Perez Patricia , Pérez-Tomás M Elena , Perucho Teresa , Pinsach-Abuin Mellina , Pita Guillermo , Pompa-Mera Ericka N , Porras-Hurtado Gloria L , Pujol Aurora , León Soraya Ramiro , Resino Salvador , Fernandes Marianne R , Rodríguez-Ruiz Emilio , Rodriguez-Artalejo Fernando , Rodriguez-Garcia José A , Ruiz-Cabello Francisco , Ruiz-Hornillos Javier , Ryan Pablo , Soria José Manuel , Souto Juan Carlos , Tamayo Eduardo , Tamayo-Velasco Alvaro , Taracido-Fernandez Juan Carlos , Teper Alejandro , Torres-Tobar Lilian , Urioste Miguel , Valencia-Ramos Juan , Yáñez Zuleima , Zarate Ruth , de Rojas Itziar , Ruiz Agustín , Sánchez Pascual , Real Luis Miguel ,   SCOURGE Cohort Group, Guillen-Navarro Encarna , Ayuso Carmen , Parra Esteban , Riancho José A , Rojas-Martinez Augusto , Flores Carlos , Lapunzina Pablo , Carracedo Ángel 
Published: February 2024

The genetic basis of severe COVID-19 has been thoroughly studied, and many genetic risk factors shared between populations have been identified. However, reduced sample sizes from non-European groups have limited the discovery of population-specific common risk loci. In this second study nested in the SCOURGE consortium, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for COVID-19 hospitalization in admixed Americans, comprising a total of 4702 hospitalized cases recruited by SCOURGE and seven other participating studies in the COVID-19 Host Genetic Initiative. We identified four genome-wide significant associations, two of which constitute novel loci and were first discovered in Latin American populations (BAZ2B and DDIAS). A trans-ethnic meta-analysis revealed another novel cross-population risk locus in CREBBP. Finally, we assessed the performance of a cross-ancestry polygenic risk score in the SCOURGE admixed American cohort. This study constitutes the largest GWAS for COVID-19 hospitalization in admixed Latin Americans conducted to date. This allowed to reveal novel risk loci and emphasize the need of considering the diversity of populations in genomic research.