Smoking and BMI mediate the causal effect of education on lower back pain: observational and Mendelian randomization analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Low back pain (LBP) has been associated with education in previous observational studies, but the causality remains unclear. This study aims to assess the impact of education on LBP and to explore mediation by multiple lifestyle factors.

Design

Univariable Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to examine the overall effect of education on LBP. Subsequently, multivariable MR was conducted to assess both the direct effect of education on LBP and the influence of potential mediators. Indirect effects were estimated using either the coefficient product method or the difference method, and the proportion of mediation was calculated by dividing the indirect effect by the total effect. The observational study utilized data from the NHANES database collected between 1

SUBMITTER: Xu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10882710 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature