Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35900265›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of epidemiology2023

Tools for assessing quality and risk of bias in Mendelian randomization studies: a systematic review.

Francesca Spiga, Mark Gibson, Sarah Dawson, Kate Tilling, George Davey Smith, Marcus R Munafò, Julian P T Higgins

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of epidemiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 59 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
59citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–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

59 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Mendelian randomization studies on cardiometabolic factors and intracranial aneurysms: A systematic literature analysis.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2025
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  19. A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study of Androgenetic Alopecia and Obesity.Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2026
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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.

Francesca SpigaPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6904-2247
Mark GibsonMedical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6930-4542
Sarah DawsonPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Kate TillingPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
George Davey SmithPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Marcus R MunafòMedical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Julian P T HigginsPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8323-2514

Funding

Cancer Research UK 29019Cancer Research UK C18281/A29019Department of Health NF-SI-0617-10145Medical Research Council MC_UU_00011/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_00032/1Medical Research Council MM_UU_00011/3Medical Research Council MM_UU_00011/7Medical Research Council MR/M025209/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use of Mendelian randomization (MR) in epidemiology has increased considerably in recent years, with a subsequent increase in systematic reviews of MR studies. We conducted a systematic review of tools designed for assessing risk of bias and/or quality of evidence in MR studies and a review of systematic reviews of MR studies.

methodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Web of Science, preprints servers and Google Scholar for articles containing tools for assessing, conducting and/or reporting MR studies. We also searched for systematic reviews and protocols of systematic reviews of MR studies. From eligible articles we collected data on tool characteristics and content, as well as details of narrative description of bias assessment.

resultsOur searches retrieved 2464 records to screen, from which 14 tools, 35 systematic reviews and 38 protocols were included in our review. Seven tools were designed for assessing risk of bias/quality of evidence in MR studies and evaluation of their content revealed that all seven tools addressed the three core assumptions of instrumental variable analysis, violation of which can potentially introduce bias in MR analysis estimates.

conclusionWe present an overview of tools and methods to assess risk of bias/quality of evidence in MR analysis. Issues commonly addressed relate to the three standard assumptions of instrumental variables analyses, the choice of genetic instrument(s) and features of the population(s) from which the data are collected (particularly in two-sample MR), in addition to more traditional non-MR-specific epidemiological biases. The identified tools should be tested and validated for general use before recommendations can be made on their widespread use. Our findings should raise awareness about the importance of bias related to MR analysis and provide information that is useful for assessment of MR studies in the context of systematic reviews.

Indexed as

Mendelian Randomization AnalysisResearch DesignBiasHumansbiasgenetic instrumentguidelineMendelian randomizationrisk-of-bias assessmenttool

Identifiers

PMID35900265
PMCPMC9908059

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.