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Exploring causal associations of alcohol with cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in a Chinese population using Mendelian randomization analysis

Authors :
Taylor, Amy E
Lu, Feng
Carslake, David J
Hu, Zhibin
Qian, Yun
Liu, Sijun
Chen, Jiaping
Chen, Hongbin
Davey Smith, George
Source :
Scientific Reports, Taylor, A E, Lu, F, Carslake, D J, Hu, Z, Qian, Y, Liu, S, Chen, J, Chen, H & Davey Smith, G 2015, ' Exploring causal associations of alcohol with cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in a Chinese population using Mendelian randomization analysis ', Scientific Reports, vol. 5, 14005 . https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14005
Publication Year :
2015
Publisher :
Nature Publishing Group, 2015.

Abstract

Observational studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption may be protective for cardiovascular disease, but results may be biased by confounding and reverse causality. Mendelian randomization, which uses genetic variants as proxies for exposures, can minimise these biases and therefore strengthen causal inference. Using a genetic variant in the ALDH2 gene associated withalcohol consumption, rs671, we performed a Mendelian randomization analysis in 1,712 diabetes cases and 2,076 controls from Nantong, China. Analyses were performed using linear and logistic regression, stratified by sex and diabetes status. The A allele of rs671 was strongly associated with reduced odds of being an alcohol drinker in all groups, but prevalence of alcohol consumptionamongst females was very low. The A allele was associated with reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and decreased total and HDL cholesterol in males. The A allele was also associated with decreased triglyceride levels, but only robustly in diabetic males. There was no strong evidence for associations between rs671 and any outcomes in females. Our results suggest that associations of alcohol consumption with blood pressure and HDL-cholesterol are causal. Alcohol also appeared to have adverse effects on triglyceride levels, although this may be restricted to diabetics.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20452322
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Accession number :
edsair.pmid.dedup....6b751ec8bca6d393863a491cc7f6aece
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14005