Genetic liability between COVID-19 and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia: a Mendelian randomization study.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Infectious Diseases
• Genetics and Epidemiology

Background:

• Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia poses significant risks to maternal and fetal health.
• The potential impact of COVID-19 infection on pregnancy complications remains an area of active investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a potential causal relationship between COVID-19 and the risk of developing pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.
• To utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) design for robust causal inference.

Main Methods:

• Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses were conducted using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics.
• Genetic correlation between COVID-19 susceptibility/hospitalization and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia was estimated.
• Inverse variance weighting, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods were employed for primary and sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

• A significant positive genetic correlation was found between COVID-19 susceptibility and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (OR = 1.23).
• COVID-19 hospitalization was significantly associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (OR = 1.15).
• Results remained robust across sensitivity analyses, supporting the primary findings.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest a potential causal link where COVID-19 infection may elevate the risk of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.
• These results highlight the importance of considering COVID-19's impact on pregnancy outcomes in clinical practice.
• Future research should focus on preventive and therapeutic strategies to mitigate these complications.