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Published on: July 8, 2020
Causal effect between chronic periodontitis and IgA nephropathy: Insights from a 2-sample bidirectional Mendelian
He Miao1, Feifei Guan2, Jiaguo Huang3
1Department of Urology, The First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Medicine
|June 23, 2026
Summary
This study found no genetic evidence linking chronic periodontitis and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed no causal effect in either direction between these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Periodontology
- Genetic Epidemiology
Background:
- Epidemiological studies suggest a link between chronic periodontitis and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).
- The causal relationship between these conditions remains controversial and requires further investigation.
- Genetic association studies provide a powerful tool to explore causality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal effect between chronic periodontitis and IgAN.
- To utilize a 2-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach for robust causal inference.
- To leverage large-scale genome-wide association study data for genetic instrumental variables.
Main Methods:
- Employed a 2-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
- Utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms from genome-wide association studies as genetic instruments.
- Applied inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, and weighted median methods for primary and supplementary analyses.
- Assessed heterogeneity and pleiotropy using Cochran Q test and MR-Egger intercept test, respectively.
- Conducted leave-one-out and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods for sensitivity analyses.
Main Results:
- The primary inverse variance weighted analysis showed no evidence of a causal effect of chronic periodontitis on IgAN (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.97-1.07, P = 0.42).
- Similarly, no evidence for a causal effect of IgAN on chronic periodontitis was found (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.92-1.53, P = 0.18).
- Sensitivity analyses did not reveal significant causal associations in either direction.
Conclusions:
- This Mendelian randomization study found no strong genetic evidence to support a causal relationship between chronic periodontitis and immunoglobulin A nephropathy.
- The findings suggest that previously observed epidemiological associations may not be driven by a direct causal link.
- Further research may be needed to explore other potential mediating factors or reverse causality in specific populations.
