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Published on: June 21, 2018
Exploring the causal relationship between vitiligo and psoriasis: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.
Zhengxing Xu1, Chao Yang1, Xuehui Gan1
1School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, No. 1 Section 1, Xianglin Road, Longmatan District, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
Archives of Dermatological Research
|March 29, 2025
Summary
Vitiligo is a causal risk factor for developing psoriasis, but psoriasis does not increase the risk of vitiligo. Early psoriasis screening in vitiligo patients is recommended to reduce incidence.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Observational studies suggest an association between vitiligo and psoriasis.
- The causal relationship between these conditions remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential bidirectional causal relationship between vitiligo and psoriasis.
- Utilizing a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.
Main Methods:
- Employed genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for vitiligo (N=44,266) and psoriasis (N=373,338) in European ancestry.
- Performed univariate and multivariate MR analyses to assess causality and independent effects, adjusting for confounders like smoking and BMI.
Main Results:
- Genetic liability to vitiligo significantly increased psoriasis risk (OR=1.094).
- No significant association was found between genetic liability to psoriasis and vitiligo risk (OR=1.176).
- Multivariate MR confirmed vitiligo as a causal risk factor for psoriasis (OR=1.060), even after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Vitiligo is a causal risk factor for psoriasis.
- Psoriasis is not a causal risk factor for vitiligo.
- Suggests enhanced early screening for psoriasis in vitiligo patients to reduce incidence.
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