The causal relationship between autoimmune thyroid disorders and telomere length: A Mendelian randomization and colocalization study
Authors' conclusion
In conclusion, autoimmune hyperthyroidism may accelerate telomere attrition, and telomere attrition is a causal factor for AITDs.
Study context
- Population
- European population; summary statistics from large-scale genome-wide association studies
- Comparison
- Autoimmune thyroid disorders vs telomere length
- Outcome
- Causal relationship between AITDs and telomere length (IVW estimate)
Methodological detailsbidirectional, two-sample summary statistics from large-scale GWAS, inverse variance weighted (IVW) primary method, weighted median, MR-Egger and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses
- Bidirectional
- Two-sample summary statistics from large-scale GWAS
- IVW primary method
- Weighted median, MR-Egger and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Causal effect of AITDs on telomere length (IVW)
Autoimmune hyperthyroidism → telomere length (TL): significant causal relationship (β; p)
β = −1.93 × 10-2
p = 4.54 × 10-5
Autoimmune hypothyroidism → TL: no causal relationship (β; p)
β = −3.99 × 10-3
p = 0.324
Further findings
Reverse Mendelian randomization (MR): genetically predicted TL on autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITDs) (IVW)
- TL → autoimmune hyperthyroidism: OR; p
- OR = 0.49; p = 2.83 × 10-4
- TL → autoimmune hypothyroidism: OR; p
- OR = 0.86; p = 7.46 × 10-3
- IVW method
Pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests
- Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests indicated validity of the bidirectional MR study
Colocalization
- Shared causal variants between autoimmune hyperthyroidism and TL
Original publication
The causal relationship between autoimmune thyroid disorders and telomere length: A Mendelian randomization and colocalization study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 12 January 2024. doi:10.
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