Examining the possible causal relationship between lung function, COPD and Alzheimer's disease: a Mendelian
Daniel Higbee1,2, Raquel Granell2, Esther Walton2,3
1Academic Respiratory Unit, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
BMJ Open Respiratory Research
|July 8, 2021
Summary
This study found no causal link between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or reduced lung function and Alzheimer's disease risk. Observed associations are likely due to shared risk factors, not direct causation.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Observational studies suggest a link between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function, and increased Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk.
- Causality remains uncertain due to potential confounding factors and reverse causation in traditional epidemiological studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal relationship between COPD, lung function, and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Main Methods:
- Employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach.
- Utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for lung function and COPD as exposure variables.
- Assessed the impact of these genetic variants on Alzheimer's disease risk using a large GWAS dataset.
Main Results:
- Found no statistically significant evidence supporting a causal effect of lung function on Alzheimer's disease (OR: 1.02, p=0.68).
- Similarly, no causal link was detected between COPD liability and Alzheimer's disease risk (OR: 0.97, p=0.40).
Conclusions:
- Reduced lung function and COPD liability are unlikely to be direct causes of increased Alzheimer's disease risk.
- The observed associations are probably attributable to unmeasured confounding factors.
- Future research and public health policies should focus on shared risk factors rather than targeting lung function or COPD for AD prevention.
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