Effects of blood lead on coronary artery disease and its risk factors: a Mendelian Randomization study

Lead is pervasive, although lead exposure has fallen in response to public health efforts. Observationally, lead is positively associated with cardiovascular disease and hypertension. We used separate-sample instrumental variable analysis with genetic instruments (Mendelian randomization) based on 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), from a genome wide association study, strongly (p-value −6) and independently associated with blood lead. These SNPs were applied to a large extensively genotyped coronary artery disease (CAD) study (cases = ABO. Exogenous lead may have different effects from endogenous lead; nevertheless, this study raises questions about the role of blood lead in CAD.