Association between inflammatory bowel disease and periodontitis: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization...

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Gastroenterology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and periodontitis are chronic inflammatory conditions.
• The potential causal relationship between IBD and periodontitis remains unclear.
• Understanding this association is crucial for comprehensive patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bidirectional causal association between IBD and periodontitis using Mendelian randomization.
• To determine if genetic predisposition to IBD influences periodontitis risk.
• To assess if genetic predisposition to periodontitis influences IBD risk.

Main Methods:

• Utilized genome-wide association study summary statistics from European populations.
• Employed Mendelian randomization with genetic instruments for IBD and periodontitis.
• Applied radial inverse-variance weighted method and sensitivity analyses for robust estimates.

Main Results:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) showed a statistically significant association with an increased risk of periodontitis (OR 1.060, p=0.006).
• Ulcerative colitis (UC), an IBD subtype, was significantly associated with periodontitis (OR 1.074, p=0.001).
• Periodontitis showed a suggestive association with IBD (OR 1.065, p=0.014) and a significant association with Crohn's disease (CD) (OR 1.100, p=0.001).

Conclusions:

• This Mendelian randomization study provides moderate evidence for a bidirectional causal relationship between IBD and periodontitis.
• The observed bidirectional increased risk is marginal and may have limited clinical relevance.
• Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore clinical implications.