Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Menghua Wang, Zhongyu Jian, Xiaoshuai Gao, Chi Yuan, Xi Jin, Hong Li, Kunjie Wang
Summary: Using Mendelian randomization (MR), the study found that educational attainment (EA) may have causal effects on certain urological and reproductive health outcomes, such as increasing the risk of prostate cancer and decreasing the risk of kidney stones and cystitis. However, no causal effects were observed for bladder cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and erectile dysfunction.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Li Qi, Wenzhao Bao, Sai Wang, Xiaoxu Ding, Wei Li
Summary: This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) design to investigate the causal relationship between educational attainment, household income, and oropharyngeal cancer. The results suggest that higher educational attainment may be associated with a decreased risk of oropharyngeal cancer, while household income does not influence the risk. Additionally, oropharyngeal cancer does not significantly impact household income. The findings from meta-analysis indicate no causal association between educational attainment, household income, and oropharyngeal cancer.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yunxia Li, Wenhao Chen, Shiyao Tian, Shuyue Xia, Biao Yang
Summary: This study found a causal relationship between educational attainment and asthma, showing that higher education levels can reduce the risk of asthma. Additionally, it was suggested that educational attainment might protect against asthma by improving cognitive performance. Further research and public health interventions are warranted based on these findings.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Dongze Chen, Xinpei Wang, Tao Huang, Jinzhu Jia
Summary: Excessive cannabis use may lead to lower educational attainment, and genetic liability to cannabis use disorder may contribute to this association. However, there is also evidence of a bidirectional effect, with genetic liability to higher educational attainment leading to higher life-time cannabis use risk and lower cannabis use disorder risk.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Laurence J. Howe, Humaira Rasheed, Paul R. Jones, Dorret Boomsma, David M. Evans, Alexandros Giannelis, Caroline Hayward, John L. Hopper, Amanda Hughes, Hannu Lahtinen, Shuai Li, Penelope A. Lind, Nicholas G. Martin, Pekka Martikainen, Sarah E. Medland, Tim T. Morris, Michel G. Nivard, Jean-Baptiste Pingault, Karri Silventoinen, Jennifer A. Smith, Emily A. Willoughby, James F. Wilson, Bjorn Olav Asvold, Oyvind E. Naess, George Davey Smith, Jaakko Kaprio, Ben Brumpton, Neil M. Davies
Summary: Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies suggest that educational attainment has beneficial effects on adult health outcomes. However, these estimates may be biased due to population stratification, assortative mating, and indirect genetic effects. Using both population and within-sibship MR approaches, this study provides evidence that genetic liability to educational attainment is associated with decreased BMI, cigarette smoking, and SBP, and potentially with mortality.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jackson G. Thorp, Brittany L. Mitchell, Zachary F. Gerring, Jue-Sheng Ong, Puya Gharahkhani, Eske M. Derks, Michelle K. Lupton
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is projected to affect 132 million people by 2050. This study investigates whether previously speculated AD risk factors are causally associated with AD susceptibility using large-scale genetic data. The findings suggest that only the cognitive component of educational attainment (intelligence) is independently causally linked to AD.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Qixia Wang, Runchen Wang, Chao Chen, Yi Feng, Zhiming Ye, Miaorong Zhan, Hao Wen, Kaimin Guo
Summary: The study found a causal relationship between educational attainment and EC, with low educational attainment potentially leading to EC through factors such as obesity, high WHR, and diabetes.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Luyan Gao, Kun Wang, Qing-Bin Ni, Hongguang Fan, Lan Zhao, Lei Huang, Mingfeng Yang, Huanming Li
Summary: This study used a Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the causal association between higher education and the risk of ischemic stroke (IS). The results showed that higher education was associated with a reduced risk of IS, providing genetic evidence for the potential protective effect of education.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Shufei Zhang, Mao Chen, Jianfeng Liu, Lian Yang, Hanyue Li, Li Hong
Summary: This paper investigates the causal relationship between educational attainment and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The results indicate that both years of schooling and college or university degree may have a negative causal effect on SUI. Therefore, improving educational attainment may help reduce the risk of SUI.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jie Yuan, Xue Liu, Xinhui Wang, Huizhi Zhou, Yuyao Wang, Guoyu Tian, Xueying Liu, Mulin Tang, Xue Meng, Chunjia Kou, Qingqing Yang, Juyi Li, Li Zhang, Zhongshang Yuan, Haiqing Zhang
Summary: Mendelian randomization analysis showed a causal association between educational attainment and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), with smoking partially mediating this association.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yu Liu, Chen Jin, Li-Fang Ni, Tian Zheng, Xiao-Chen Liu, Shan-Shan Wang, Hui-Jun Huang, Ming-Min Jin, Bin-Wei Cheng, Hong-Tao Yan, Xin-Jun Yang
Summary: The study found a positive causal association between female educational attainment and offspring birth weight, with a one standard deviation increase in female EA associated with a 0.24 standard deviation higher birth weight. A similar causal effect was observed for male EA on offspring birth weight. No causal effect of birth weight on educational attainment was found.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zhongyu Jian, Menghua Wang, Xi Jin, Xin Wei
Summary: The study revealed that educational attainment is a predictor for susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity of COVID-19 disease, with higher educational attainment being associated with lower risk. The effects of educational attainment on COVID-19 outcomes were consistent in both single-variable and multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gunn-Helen Moen, Robin N. Beaumont, Niels Grarup, Christine Sommer, Beverley M. Shields, Deborah A. Lawlor, Rachel M. Freathy, David M. Evans, Nicole M. Warrington
Summary: This study found a positive causal effect of maternal folate levels on offspring birthweight, while no causal effect of B12 levels on offspring birthweight was observed. The results are consistent with evidence from randomized controlled trials.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
Kaibo Sun, Yue Ming, Yuangang Wu, Yi Zeng, Jiawen Xu, Limin Wu, Mingyang Li, Bin Shen
Summary: A genetic causal relationship between educational attainment and certain musculoskeletal disorders has been identified through Mendelian randomization analysis.
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Robert C. Schell, Lia C. H. Fernald, Patrick T. Bradshaw, David H. Rehkopf, William H. Dow
Summary: Low educational attainment and high adiposity are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. The impact of educational attainment on the relationship between adiposity and cardiovascular disease is still poorly understood.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nancy Krieger, Jarvis T. Chen, Christian Testa, Ana Diez Roux, Kate Tilling, Sarah Watkins, Andrew J. Simpkin, Matthew Suderman, George Davey Smith, Immaculata De Vivo, Pamela D. Waterman, Caroline Relton
Summary: Motivated by a literature review, this study reports on the treatment of age in studies on social exposures and accelerated aging using epigenetic clocks. Among 50 reviewed articles, the majority used an incorrect method of analysis, while only 42% used correct methods. The study provides simulation and empirical analyses to illustrate the biases introduced by the incorrect method and recommends best practices.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nikos Papadimitriou, Caroline J. Bull, Mazda Jenab, David J. Hughes, Joshua A. Bell, Eleanor Sanderson, Nicholas J. Timpson, George Davey Smith, Demetrius Albanes, Peter T. Campbell, Sebastien Kury, Loic Le Marchand, Cornelia M. Ulrich, Kala Visvanathan, Jane C. Figueiredo, Polly A. Newcomb, Rish K. Pai, Ulrike Peters, Kostas K. Tsilidis, Jolanda M. A. Boer, Emma E. Vincent, Daniela Mariosa, Marc J. Gunter, Tom G. Richardson, Neil Murphy
Summary: This study suggests that the positive association between childhood body size and colorectal cancer risk is likely a result of retaining a large body size into adulthood.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fergus Hamilton, Alexander J. Mentzer, Tom Parks, J. Kenneth Baillie, George Davey Smith, Peter Ghazal, Nicholas J. Timpson
Summary: ERAP2 gene variation is associated with respiratory infection and autoimmune diseases. The T allele of rs2549794 is found to be deleterious during the Black Death epidemic and is also associated with decreased ERAP2 expression and protein levels. The study suggests a balancing selection at this locus driven by autoimmune and infectious diseases.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Robyn E. Wootton, Rebecca B. Lawn, Maria C. Magnus, Jorien L. Treur, Elizabeth C. Corfield, Pal R. Njolstad, Ole A. Andreassen, Deborah A. Lawlor, Marcus R. Munafo, Siri E. Haberg, George Davey Smith, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud, Per Magnus, Alexandra Havdahl
Summary: Advice to improve fertility includes reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption, achieving a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. However, observational evidence used to inform these recommendations is often biased by confounding factors.
Letter
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jie Zheng, Tom R. Gaunt, Min Xu, George Davey Smith, Yufang Bi
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Diana L. Juvinao-Quintero, Gemma C. Sharp, Eleanor C. M. Sanderson, Caroline L. Relton, Hannah R. Elliott
Summary: This study aimed to provide evidence for a causal relationship between DNA methylation (DNAm) and type 2 diabetes. The researchers used bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomisation (2SMR) to evaluate the causality at 58 CpG sites. The results showed a strong causal effect of DNAm at cg25536676 (DHCR24) on the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Amy Shakeshaft, Jon Heron, Rachel Blakey, Lucy Riglin, George Davey Smith, Evie Stergiakouli, Kate Tilling, Anita Thapar
Summary: This study used data from a population cohort to examine the correlations between ADHD and autistic traits across development. The results showed distinct patterns of co-development of ADHD and autism, and these patterns were associated with sociodemographic, psychopathology, cognition, and social functioning factors. Furthermore, genetic signatures as indexed by polygenic scores differed among different trajectory classes.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Karri Silventoinen, Hannu Lahtinen, George Davey Smith, Tim T. Morris, Pekka Martikainen
Summary: This study used a polygenic score for height to reveal the associations between height, socioeconomic position, and coronary heart disease incidence. The results showed clear gradients for residual height in relation to education, social class, and income, with a stronger association for residual height. These findings support the role of material and social living conditions in childhood as contributing factors to the association of height with both socioeconomic position and CHD risk.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Scott Waterfield, Paul Yousefi, Amy Webster, Caroline Relton, Chrissie Thirlwell, Matt Suderman
Summary: This study examines the genetic characteristics and clinical features of different subtypes of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (siNETs) and identifies potential genes and CD14 infiltration associated with the 18LOH subtype and poorer prognosis. The findings highlight the importance of the 18LOH subtype and provide potential clues about the underlying mechanisms.
NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Ragna Bugge Askeland, Laurie J. Hannigan, Kevin S. O'Connell, Elizabeth C. Corfield, Oleksandr Frei, Anita Thapar, George Davey Smith, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ole A. Andreassen, Helga Ask, Alexandra Havdahl
Summary: Knowledge on how genetic risk for bipolar disorder manifests in developmental, emotional or behavioral traits during childhood is lacking. This issue is important to address to inform early detection and intervention efforts. Our study investigated the association between polygenic risk for bipolar disorder and developmental outcomes in children, and found robust evidence for an association with conduct difficulties and oppositional defiant difficulties at 8 years. Other associations were estimated within a range close to zero, except for negative associations with activity levels and benevolence at age 5 and positive associations with motor difficulties, inattention, and hyperactivity at age 3 and 8. These findings suggest that genetic risk for bipolar disorder manifests as disruptive behaviors in childhood.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Jie Zheng, Eleanor Wheeler, Maik Pietzner, Till F. M. Andlauer, Michelle S. Yau, April E. Hartley, Ben Michael Brumpton, Humaira Rasheed, John P. Kemp, Monika Frysz, Jamie Robinson, Sjur Reppe, Vid Prijatelj, Kaare M. Gautvik, Louise Falk, Winfried Maerz, Ingrid Gergei, Patricia A. Peyser, Maryam Kavousi, Paul S. de Vries, Clint L. Miller, Maxime Bos, Sander W. van Der Laan, Rajeev Malhotra, Markus Herrmann, Hubert Scharnagl, Marcus Kleber, George Dedoussis, Eleftheria Zeggini, Maria Nethander, Claes Ohlsson, Mattias Lorentzon, Nick Wareham, Claudia Langenberg, Michael V. Holmes, George Davey Smith, Jonathan H. Tobias
Summary: This study suggests that lowering sclerostin may increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, and the extent of coronary artery calcification. Therefore, strategies should be implemented to mitigate potential adverse effects of romosozumab treatment on atherosclerosis and its risk factors.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Philip C. Haycock, Maria Carolina Borges, Kimberley Burrows, Rozenn N. Lemaitre, Stephen Burgess, Nikhil K. Khankari, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Tom R. Gaunt, Gibran Hemani, Jie Zheng, Therese Truong, Brenda M. Birmann, Tracy OMara, Amanda B. Spurdle, Mark M. Iles, Matthew H. Law, Susan L. Slager, Fatemeh Saberi Hosnijeh, Daniela Mariosa, Michelle Cotterchio, James R. Cerhan, Ulrike Peters, Stefan Enroth, Puya Gharahkhani, Loic Le Marchand, Ann C. Williams, Robert C. Block, Christopher I. Amos, Rayjean J. Hung, Wei Zheng, Marc J. Gunter, George Davey Smith, Caroline Relton, Richard M. Martin
Summary: Using Mendelian randomization, this study found that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be causally related to colorectal cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but they also increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Madeleine L. Smith, Caroline J. Bull, Michael V. Holmes, George Davey Smith, Eleanor Sanderson, Emma L. Anderson, Joshua A. Bell
Summary: By using a reverse Mendelian randomization (MR) framework on large-scale metabolomics data from the UK Biobank, it was found that genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary artery disease (CAD) has distinct effects on circulating metabolites, providing insights into prevention strategies for these commonly co-occurring diseases.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mia O. Johansen, Shoaib Afzal, Signe Vedel-Krogh, Sune F. Nielsen, George Davey Smith, Borge G. Nordestgaard
Summary: This study found that higher triglyceride metabolism is associated with increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer, and other mortality, independent of elevated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and body mass index. These findings provide important evidence on the relationship between triglyceride metabolism and mortality.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)