The causal relationship between body mass index and perianal abscess: a Mendelian randomization study

Observational studies suggest an association between elevated body mass index (BMI) and perianal abscess risk, but residual confounding and reverse causality limit causal inference. Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a robust approach to assess causality by leveraging genetic variants as instrumental variables. This study aimed to evaluate the causal relationship between BMI and perianal abscess using a MR framework.

We analyzed European-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for BMI (n = 359,983) and perianal abscess (1,287 cases/182,423 controls). A total of 364 independent SNPs associated with BMI at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10⁻⁸) were selected as instrumental variables, with stringent linkage disequilibrium clumping (r² < 0.01, clumping distance > 10,000 kb). Causal estimates were derived using inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO methods. Multivariable MR (MVMR) adjusted for lipid metabolism disorders and insulin resistance. Sensitivity analyses assessed pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and instrument strength.

Genetically predicted higher BMI was causally associated with an increased risk of perianal abscess (IVW: OR = 1.94, 95%CI: 1.46-2.68, P = 3.8 × 10⁻⁶). Consistency across methods (MR-Egger: OR = 2.80; weighted median: OR = 2.30) and MVMR adjustment (OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.12-1.93) supported robustness. No evidence of directional pleiotropy (MR-Egger intercept P = 0.30) or heterogeneity (I² = 7.6%; MR-PRESSO global test P = 0.148) was observed. Instrument strength was sufficient (mean F-statistic = 37.75), mitigating weak instrument bias.

This MR study provides robust genetic evidence supporting BMI as a causal risk factor for perianal abscess. The findings highlight obesity management as a potential preventive strategy, though multifactorial mechanisms warrant further investigation.