Association Between Educational Attainment and Thyroid Function: Results From Mendelian Randomization and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Study
Authors' conclusion
There is a potentially causal association between EA and TSH, which could be mediated by several risk factors, such as smoking.
Study context
- Population
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics; NHANES 1999 to 2002 participants
- Exposure
- Educational attainment and thyroid function
- Outcome
- Thyroid function: hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, TSH and FT4
Methodological detailstwo-sample mendelian randomization, multivariable mendelian randomization (MR), mediation analysis, NHANES 1999 to 2002
- Two-sample mendelian randomization
- Multivariable MR
- Mediation analysis
- NHANES 1999 to 2002
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Causal effect of EA on thyroid function (MR)
Educational attainment (EA) causally associated with TSH, β (95% CI 0.015-0.077; P = 4.00 × 10-3)
.046
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSH and EA in NHANESQ4vs Q1 | 1.33 (1.05–1.68) | P for trend = 0.023 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
- TSH and EA in NHANES: dose-response relationship; multivariable logistic regression
Mediation of EA–TSH by smoking (MR)
- Mediating proportion of smoking
- 10.38%
- β of EA on TSH after adjusting for smoking
- 0.030 (95% CI 0.016-0.045; P = 9.32 × 10-3)
- Multivariable MR
Mediation of EA–TSH in NHANES
- Smoking mediation proportion
- 43.82%
- Systolic blood pressure mediation proportion
- 12.28%
- BMI mediation proportion
- 6.81%
- Partial mediation
Original publication
Association Between Educational Attainment and Thyroid Function: Results From Mendelian Randomization and the NHANES Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 7 June 2023. doi:10.
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