The causal effects of COVID-19 on chronic pancreatitis: a Mendelian randomization study-quality improvement study

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, mainly manifested with respiratory symptoms, but also showed multiple organ involvement, such as the pancreas. Recently, reports have emphasized the potential causal link between COVID-19 and acute pancreatitis. In this study, we aim to study the genetic underpinnings of the association between COVID-19 and chronic pancreatitis by Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis.

We utilized genome-wide association study data for traits related to COVID-19 and chronic pancreatitis, including smoking, drinking, diabetes, cholelithiasis, and triglycerides. Two-sample MR and MVMR analyses were performed to explore the association of COVID-19 with chronic pancreatitis.

Our MR analysis revealed a significant correlation between COVID-19 and chronic pancreatitis. And the MVMR analysis further supported these findings, indicating an independent and significant association between COVID-19 and chronic pancreatitis. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results.

This MR study provides genetic evidence of a causal association between COVID-19 susceptibility and increased risk of chronic pancreatitis. These findings provide new insights into the complex relationship between COVID-19 and chronic pancreatitis and emphasize the importance of considering systemic effects related to COVID-19 susceptibility when understanding the etiology of chronic pancreatitis.