Causal Associations Between Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study Reveals Causal Associations Between Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

This study investigates the causal relationship between allergic rhinitis and asthma using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization approach. Genetic data were derived from UK Biobank for allergic rhinitis and from Finnish biobank for asthma. This analysis aims to clarify the potential causal link between these two conditions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Asthma; Allergic Rhinitis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Mendelian Randomization

Detailed Description

This observational study utilizes a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine the causal association between allergic rhinitis and asthma. The genetic data for allergic rhinitis were obtained from the UK Biobank, encompassing 18,934 cases and 64,595 controls, while asthma data were derived from a Finnish biobank, including 20,629 cases and 135,449 controls. The Mendelian randomization analysis was performed using inverse-variance weighting (IVW), Mendelian randomization-Egger (MR-Egger), and weighted median methods to ensure robust causal inference. Additional tests, such as Cochrane's Q test and Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO), were applied to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, enhancing the reliability of the findings. The results are expected to provide insights into the bidirectional causal relationship between allergic rhinitis and asthma, potentially informing future prevention and treatment strategies.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 239607

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Guangdong
    • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510120
      • Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This study includes individuals diagnosed with allergic rhinitis or asthma from the UK Biobank and Finnish biobank databases.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals diagnosed with allergic rhinitis or asthma.
• Availability of genetic data in the UK Biobank or Finnish biobank.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals without genetic data.
• Participants with incomplete phenotype or genotype data.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Allergic Rhinitis Cohort; This cohort consists of individuals with allergic rhinitis and a control group from the UK Biobank database, including 18,934 cases of allergic rhinitis and 64,595 controls. Genetic data were used to explore causal relationships with asthma.	Other: Mendelian Randomization; This study utilizes a bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach to analyze genetic data from individuals with allergic rhinitis and asthma. No active intervention is applied; genetic variants serve as instrumental variables to assess causal associations between the conditions.
Asthma Cohort; This cohort includes individuals with asthma and a control group from the Finnish biobank database, consisting of 20,629 cases of asthma and 135,449 controls. Genetic data were analyzed to examine causal associations with allergic rhinitis.	Other: Mendelian Randomization; This study utilizes a bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach to analyze genetic data from individuals with allergic rhinitis and asthma. No active intervention is applied; genetic variants serve as instrumental variables to assess causal associations between the conditions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Causal Effect of Allergic Rhinitis on Asthma Risk	Estimate the causal effect of allergic rhinitis on asthma risk using bidirectional Mendelian randomization. This measure includes odds ratios (OR) derived from inverse-variance weighting (IVW), Mendelian randomization-Egger (MR-Egger), and weighted median methods.	Oct 24 2024
Causal Effect of Asthma on Allergic Rhinitis Risk	Estimate the causal effect of asthma on allergic rhinitis risk using bidirectional Mendelian randomization. This measure includes odds ratios (OR) derived from inverse-variance weighting (IVW), Mendelian randomization-Egger (MR-Egger), and weighted median methods.	Oct 24 2024

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sensitivity Analysis Using MR-Egger Intercept Test	Perform sensitivity analysis using the Mendelian randomization-Egger (MR-Egger) intercept test to assess horizontal pleiotropy in the causal estimates between allergic rhinitis and asthma.	Oct 24 2024
Sensitivity Analysis Using Leave-One-Out Test	Conduct a leave-one-out test to evaluate the robustness of the causal estimates between allergic rhinitis and asthma by sequentially removing each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).	Oct 24 2024
Sensitivity Analysis Using MR-PRESSO	Use the Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) test to detect and correct for outliers, assessing heterogeneity in the causal estimates between allergic rhinitis and asthma.	Oct 24 2024

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Zhibin Xu

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): October 28, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 30, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 31, 2024
• First Posted (Estimated): November 1, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 1, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 31, 2024
• Last Verified: October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Respiratory Diseases; Genetic Association; Mendelian Randomization; Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS); Bidirectional Causality
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Bronchial Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Nose Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Asthma; Rhinitis; Rhinitis, Allergic
• Other Study ID Numbers: GS-002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No