UKB.COVID19: an R package for UK Biobank COVID-19 data processing and analysis

• DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.55370.3
• Publication Date: 2024-07-26T13:31:13Z
• Authors: Longfei Wang; Victoria E Jackson; Liam G Fearnley; Melanie Bahlo
• Keywords: Open peer review; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak; Pandemic; Sars virus; Coronavirus Infections

<ns3:p>COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a global pandemic with rapidly developing health and economic crisis. Variations the disease have been observed associated genomic sequence of either human host or pathogen. Worldwide scientists scrambled initially to recruit patient cohorts try identify risk factors. A resource that presented itself early on was UK Biobank (UKBB), which is investigating respective contributions genetic predisposition environmental exposure development disease. To enable COVID-19 studies, UKBB now receiving test data for their participants every two weeks. In addition, delivering more frequent updates death hospital inpatient (including critical care admissions) Data Portal. This frequently changing dataset requires tool can process analyse up-to-date data. We developed an R package specifically data, summarises results, performs association tests between susceptibility/severity potential factors such as age, sex, blood type, comorbidities generates input files genome-wide studies (GWAS). By applying released April 2021, we found body mass index, socioeconomic status smoking are positively susceptibility, severity, mortality. Males at higher infection than females. People staying aged homes chance being exposed SARS-CoV-2. performing GWAS, replicated 3p21.31 finding susceptibility severity. The ability iteratively perform analyses highly relevant since updated frequently. As caveat, users must arrange own access use package.</ns3:p>