Causal relationship of body mass index with autoimmune liver diseases mediated by circulating cytokines: A Mendelian randomization study.

ABSTRACT: Observational studies suggest associations between elevated body mass index (BMI) and autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs), yet causal evidence remains limited. This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to elucidate the causal role of BMI in AILDs and identify mediating pathways involving 91 circulating cytokines. Utilizing public genome-wide association study data, univariate and multivariate MR analyses were conducted to assess causal relationships between BMI and 3 AILDs. Mediation MR evaluated cytokine-mediated effects. Inverse variance weighted method served as the primary method, complemented by sensitivity analyses to address pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Genetically predicted higher BMI increased risks of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH; odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% confidence interval [

SUBMITTER: Lu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12419441 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature