Causal Associations Between Sleep Traits and Low Grip Strength: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study

Sleep disorders and low grip strength often co-occur clinically and are geriatric symptoms that cause significant socioeconomic burden. Previous observational studies have found an association between sleep behaviors and grip strength, but the causal relationship remains unclear.

With the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, the study aimed to determine the causal association between sleep traits (sleep duration, insomnia, daytime napping, sleep-wake disorders, chronotype) and low grip strength.

The study used genetic variants from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) archived in UK Biobank and FinnGen. We assessed the potential causal relationship between sleep behaviors and grip strength using inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median (WM), and MR-Egger. Additionally, we performed sensitivity analyses using Cochran's Q test, MR Egger Intercept test, funnel plots, and leave-one-out method.

We found that sleep duration is causally negatively associated with low grip strength (OR = 0.618, 95% CI = 0.424-0.900, P = 0.012). Sleep-wake disorders have a positive association with low grip strength (OR = 1.018, 95% CI = 1.002-1.034, P = 0.029). Reversely, high low grip strength risk was causally associated with increased daytime napping (OR = 1.018, 95% CI = 1.004-1.032, P = 0.011).

The study revealed causal associations between sleep duration, sleep-wake disorders, and low grip strength. Understanding their relationship helps in early clinical intervention to improve the life quality of the elderly.