Elucidation of causal direction between asthma and obesity: a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Observational associations between asthma and obesity are well established, but inferring causality is challenging. We leveraged publicly available summary statistics to ascertain the causal direction between asthma and obesity via Mendelian randomization in European-ancestry adults.

Methods

We performed two-sample bi-directional Mendelian randomization analysis using publicly available genome-wide association studies summary statistics. Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with asthma and body mass index at genome-wide significance were combined using a fixed effect meta-analysis in each direction. An extensive sensitivity analysis was considered.

Results

There was evidence in support of increasing causal effect of body mass index on risk of asthma (

SUBMITTER: Xu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6659368 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature