Causal analysis of obstructive sleep apneas and immune cell variation: A 2-sample Mendelian randomization study

The intricate relationship between the immune system and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is an area of active research, with conflicting findings regarding immune inflammation and OSAS. In this study, we employed a 2-sample Mendelian randomization approach using publicly available genetic datasets (ebi-a-GCST90018916 and finn-b-G6) to investigate the causal link between 731 immune cell characteristics and susceptibility to OSAS. We conducted comprehensive sensitivity analyses to ensure the reliability and consistency of our results and to mitigate the impact of confounding factors. Our analysis revealed a significant genetic association between OSAS and 3 specific immune cell traits: activated and secreting regulatory autophagic T cells, and absolute plasma blast/plasma cell count. These associations were statistically significant (P < .01) with odds ratios < 1, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay between immune cell dynamics and OSAS. These findings underscore the need for further clinical investigations to explore potential therapeutic targets and improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of OSAS.