Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2025
Translaminar Autonomous System Model for the Modulation of Intraocular and Intracranial Pressure in Human Donor Posterior Segments
Published on: April 24, 2020
The causal relationship between COVID-19 and increased intraocular pressure: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian
Yi Lin1, Bingcai Jiang1, Yuanqing Cai2
1Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Insights
Hospitalization for COVID-19 may increase intraocular pressure (IOP). Monitoring IOP in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is recommended. This study explored the causal link between COVID-19 and IOP using Mendelian randomization.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genetics
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents significant global public health and economic challenges.
- The causal relationship between COVID-19 and intraocular pressure (IOP) was previously unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal associations between COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and criticality and intraocular pressure (IOP).
- To utilize bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore these relationships.
Main Methods:
- Employed genetic data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative and GWAS summary data for IOP.
- Utilized the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method for primary analysis, supplemented by other methods.
- Conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure the reliability and stability of the findings.
Main Results:
- No significant causal effect of COVID-19 susceptibility on IOP was observed (P = 0.533).
- COVID-19 severity, specifically hospitalization, showed a nominal positive association with increased IOP (P = 0.049).
- No significant causal effect of COVID-19 criticality or IOP on COVID-19 was found.
Conclusions:
- Hospitalization due to COVID-19 may be associated with an increase in intraocular pressure.
- Increased attention and IOP monitoring are warranted for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought great challenges to the global public health system and huge economic burdens to society, the causal effect of COVID-19 and intraocular pressure was blank.
Objective:
This study aimed to explore the causal association between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) susceptibility, severity and criticality and intraocular pressure (IOP) by bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Materials And Methods:
Genetic associations with COVID-19 susceptibility, severity and criticality were obtained from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Genetic associations with IOP were obtained from GWAS summary data. The standard inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used in the primary assessment of this causality. Other methods were also implemented in supplementary analyses. Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the reliability and stability of the results.
Results:
The results showed that COVID-19 susceptibility had null effect on IOP (β = 0.131; Se = 0.211; P = 0.533) as assessed by the IVW method. Moreover, the results revealed that COVID-19 severity, specifically, hospitalization due to COVID-19, had a positive effect on IOP with nominal significance (β = 0.228; Se = 0.116; P = 0.049). However, there were null effect of COVID-19 criticality on IOP (β = 0.078; Se = 0.065; P = 0.227). Sensitivity analysis showed that all the results were reliable and stable. The reverse MR analysis revealed that there was null effect of IOP on COVID-19.
Conclusions:
We demonstrated that hospitalization due to COVID-19 might increase IOP; therefore, greater attention should be given to monitoring IOP in inpatients with COVID-19.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Glaucoma: Overview
01:27Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
01:28Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
01:21Causality in Epidemiology