Are H1 and H3 haplotypes of endothelial protein C receptor (PROCR) an important factor in contracting COVID‐19?

The development of cardiovascular disease shows increase after contracting coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) disease and myocardial damage is observed in patients who have had the disease severely. The relationship between genetic cardiovascular risk factors with COVID‐19 infection was investigated in our study. One hundred thirty‐five patients, 27 of whom were COVID‐19 (−) and 108 were COVID‐19 (+) patients, were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups ([COVID‐19 [−], COVID‐19 [+] asymptomatic, and COVID‐19 [+] symptomatic + patients with pulmonary involvement]). Genetic cardiovascular risk factors were examined in blood samples taken from the patients with new generation sequencing analysis. In the clinical classification, there were no significant differences between the three groups in fibrinogen beta chain—455G>A, human platelet antigen 1 (HPA1b)/platelet receptor GPIIIa/(ITGB3) (HPA1a/b; GpIIIa; integrin beta 3 L33P), ACE I/D, AGT (M268T), AGTR1 (1166A>C), Apo E (E2/E3/E4) (rs7412, rs429358), eNOS (786T>C), eNOS (894G>T) genes (p > 0.05). However, significant differences were observed in PROCR H3 haplotype/G (endothelial protein C receptor gene [EPCR] 4600A>G [A3 haplotype]), PROCR H1 haplotype/C (EPCR 4678G>C [A1 haplotype]) genes (p