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Thromb Haemost 2024; 124(08): 795-802
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1781425
Stroke, Systemic or Venous Thromboembolism

No Genetic Causality between Tobacco Smoking and Venous Thromboembolism: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Hong-Cheng Du
1   Graduate School of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
,
Yun-Fei Zheng
1   Graduate School of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
,
Meng-Qi Shen
1   Graduate School of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
,
Bai-Yang Deng
2   Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
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Abstract

Background Given the current debate in clinical research about the relationship between tobacco smoking and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted aimed at elucidating the causal associations of current and past tobacco smoking with the risk of VTE, from the perspective of genetics.

Methods Two-sample univariate and multivariable MR analyses were designed, using summary-level data from large genome-wide association studies involving European individuals. Causality was primarily assessed using multiplicative fixed-effects or random-effects model and inverse variance weighting, supplemented by MR–Egger regression, MR-PRESSO, Cochran's Q test, and leave-one-out for sensitivity analysis to test the reliability of the results.

Results In the univariate MR analysis, no significant causal effects were found between current tobacco smoking and the risk of VTE, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE). Similarly, no significant causal effects were found between past smoking and VTE, DVT, and PE. As for the multivariable MR analysis, results were consistent with univariate MR analysis, with no significant causal effect of either current or past tobacco smoking on the risk of VTE, DVT, and PE.

Conclusion Evidence from both univariate and multivariable MR analyses demonstrated no significant causal relationships between current and past tobacco smoking and VTE, DVT, and PE. This contradicts positive correlations reported in some previous observational studies, which may be explained by other confounding factors. This provided genetic evidence for the conclusion reported in other observational studies that smoking did not affect VTE risk.

Keywords

tobacco smoking - venous thromboembolism - deep vein thrombosis - pulmonary embolism - Mendelian randomization

Authors' Contribution

B.-Y.D. contributed to guiding the research process. H.-C.D. and Y.-F.Z. contributed to conceptualization and methodology. H.-C.D. contributed to study design, statistical analysis, and writing the original draft. All authors contributed to data collection, reviewing, editing and approves the final manuscript.


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Publication History

Received: 18 October 2023

Accepted: 29 January 2024

Article published online:
22 February 2024

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