Observational studies have shown a positive relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to the Nutrients portal..

Causality is still uncertain due to susceptibility to mixed and reverse causality. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal relationship of BMI with AF by conducting a two-sample Mendelian Randomization Study (TSMR).

Methods.

Independent genetic variants associated with BMI (n \u003d 303) at a genome-wide significant level were obtained as instrumental variables from the genetic study of the Consortium for Anthropometric Traits (GIANT), consisting of 681,275 European volunteers.. The scientists then obtained baseline data from a GWAS meta-analysis of 60,620 cases and 970,216 controls of European origin..

TSMR analysis was performed by five methods, namely, weighted inverse variance (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median estimate (WME), data-driven generalized summed Mendelian randomization (GSMR), and robust adjusted profile estimate (RAPS) to investigate.

results.

“We found that a genetically determined increase in BMI by 1 standard deviation (SD) causally increased the risk of developing AF by 42.5% (OR \u003d 1.425; 95% CI 1.346-1.509) based on the IVW method, which is consistent with the results of Egger's MR regression, WME, GSMR, and RAPS. Mendelian assumptions about randomization did not appear to be violated,” the study reported..

Conclusion.

This study provides evidence that a higher BMI causally increases the risk of AF, suggesting control of BMI and obesity to prevent AF..

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