Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30066639›Full record

ArticleBMC bioinformatics2018

Mendelian randomisation analysis of clustered causal effects of body mass on cardiometabolic biomarkers.

Susana Conde, Xiaoguang Xu, Hui Guo, Markus Perola, Teresa Fazia, Luisa Bernardinelli, Carlo Berzuini

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC bioinformatics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Chinese medicine Jiangzhuo mixture regulates glucose and lipid metabolism in obese rats through TLR4/IZhejiang da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences · 2023
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Susana CondeCentre for Biostatistics, University of Manchester, University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Xiaoguang XuCentre for Biostatistics, University of Manchester, University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Hui GuoCentre for Biostatistics, University of Manchester, University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Markus PerolaNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), P.O. Box 30 (Mannerheimintie 166), Helsinki, FI-00271, Finland.
Teresa FaziaDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, 27100, Italy.
Luisa BernardinelliDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, 27100, Italy.
Carlo BerzuiniCentre for Biostatistics, University of Manchester, University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. carlo.berzuini@manchester.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent advances in data analysis methods based on principles of Mendelian Randomisation, such as Egger regression and the weighted median estimator, add to the researcher's ability to infer cause-effect links from observational data. Now is the time to gauge the potential of these methods within specific areas of biomedical research. In this paper, we choose a study in metabolomics as an illustrative testbed. We apply Mendelian Randomisation methods in the analysis of data from the DILGOM (Dietary, Lifestyle and Genetic determinants of Obesity and Metabolic syndrome) study, in the context of an effort to identify molecular pathways of cardiovascular disease. In particular, our illustrative analysis addresses the question whether body mass, as measured by body mass index (BMI), exerts a causal effect on the concentrations of a collection of 137 cardiometabolic markers with different degrees of atherogenic power, such as the (highly atherogenic) lipoprotein metabolites with very low density (VLDLs) and the (protective) high density lipoprotein metabolites.

resultsWe found strongest evidence of a positive BMI effect (that is, evidence that an increase in BMI causes an increase in the metabolite concentration) on those metabolites known to represent strong risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as the VLDLs, and evidence of a negative effect on protective biomarkers.

conclusionsThe methods discussed represent a useful scientific tool, although they assume the validity of conditions that are (at best) only partially verifiable. This paper provides a rigorous account of such conditions. The results of our analysis provide a proof-of-concept illustration of the potential usefulness of Mendelian Randomisation in genomic biobank studies aiming to dissect the molecular causes of disease, and to identify candidate pharmacological targets.

Indexed as

Body WeightBiomarkersBody Mass IndexCardiovascular DiseasesFemaleGene FrequencyHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisMetabolic DiseasesMetabolomePolymorphism, Single NucleotideRegression AnalysisRisk FactorsBiomarkersCardiovascular diseaseCausal inferenceEgger regressionMetabolomicsMultiple instrumental variablesWeighted median estimator

Identifiers

PMID30066639
PMCPMC6069804

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.