Causal inference in health and disease: a review of the principles and applications of Mendelian randomization.

ABSTRACT: Mendelian randomization (MR) is a genetic epidemiological technique that uses genetic variation to infer causal relationships between modifiable exposures and outcome variables. Conventional observational epidemiological studies are subject to bias from a range of sources; MR analyses can offer an advantage in that they are less prone to bias as they use genetic variants inherited at conception as "instrumental variables", which are proxies of an exposure. However, as with all research tools, MR studies must be carefully designed to yield valuable insights into causal relationships between exposures and outcomes, and to avoid biased or misleading results that undermine the validity of the causal inferences drawn from the study. In this review, we outline Mendel's laws of inheritance, the a

SUBMITTER: Lovegrove CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11523132 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature