ArticleInternational journal of epidemiology2019
Using a two-sample Mendelian randomization design to investigate a possible causal effect of maternal lipid concentrations on offspring birth weight.
Article in International journal of epidemiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Methodological approaches, challenges, and opportunities in the application of Mendelian randomisation to lifecourse epidemiology: A systematic literature review.European journal of epidemiology · 2024Pooled it
- Mendelian randomisation approaches to the study of prenatal exposures: A systematic review.Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology · 2021Pooled it
- Can increasing years of schooling reduce type 2 diabetes (T2D)?: Evidence from a Mendelian randomization of T2D and 10 of its risk factors.Scientific reports · 2020Trial
- Association of atherogenic index of plasma with gestational diabetes mellitus and birth weight outcomes, and the mediating role of blood glucose.Journal of diabetes investigation · 2026Article
- Genetic predisposition to smoking and the risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: a mendelian randomization study.Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) · 2026Article
- A bidirectional 2-sample Mendelian randomization study of depressed mood and premature ovarian insufficiency.Medicine · 2026Article
- Genetic Susceptibility toLife (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- From proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and multi-omics integration to functional validation: TGFB3 as a prioritized candidate in gastric adenocarcinoma.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Deciphering causality between social/physical activity and suicide attempt: evidence from Mendelian randomization.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2025Article
- Two-step Mendelian randomization reveals a lipid-driven protective effect of type 2 diabetes on ALS.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025Article
- Association of Sleep, Inflammation and Female Infertility: A Cross-Sectional Survey and Genetic Approach.Brain and behavior · 2025Article
- Causal relationships between schizophrenia and psoriasis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- White blood cell traits and lung cancer risk: a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The causal relationship between circulating inflammatory proteins and heart failure: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.Medicine · 2025Article
- Association between gut microbiota and male infertility: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.International microbiology : the official journal of the Spanish Society for Microbiology · 2024Article
- The immune cells causative role in lung cancer: Mendelian randomization study.Discover oncology · 2024Article
- Article
- Effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system: A mendelian randomization study.Sports medicine and health science · 2024Article
- Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and single-cell sequencing analysis identify the association between plasma proteins and gastric cancer.Journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2024Article
- Evaluating causal influence of maternal educational attainment on offspring birthweight via observational study and Mendelian randomization analyses.SSM - population health · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe intrauterine environment is critical for fetal growth and development. However, observational associations between maternal gestational lipid concentrations and offspring birth weight (BW) have been inconsistent and ascertaining causality is challenging.
methodsWe used a novel two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to estimate the causal effect of maternal gestational high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride concentrations on offspring BW. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with serum HDL-C, LDL-C and triglyceride concentrations identified in the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium genome-wide association study meta-analysis (n = 188 577 European-ancestry individuals; sample 1) were selected as instrumental variables. The effects of these SNPs on offspring BW were estimated using a structural equation model in the UK Biobank and Early Growth Genetics consortium (n = 230 069 European-ancestry individuals; sample 2) that enabled partitioning of the genetic associations into maternal- (intrauterine) and fetal-specific effects.
resultsWe found no evidence for a causal effect of maternal gestational HDL-C, LDL-C or triglyceride concentrations on offspring BW [standard deviation change in BW per standard deviation higher in HDL-C = -0.005 (95% confidence interval: -0.039, 0.029), LDL-C = 0.014 (-0.017, 0.045), and triglycerides = 0.014 (-0.025, 0.052)].
conclusionsOur findings suggest that maternal gestational HDL-C, LDL-C and triglyceride concentrations play a limited role in determining offspring BW. However, we cannot comment on the impact of these and other lipid fractions on fetal development more generally. Our study illustrates the power and flexibility of two-sample MR in assessing the causal effect of maternal environmental exposures on offspring outcomes.
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