Appraising the causal role of smoking in multiple diseases : A systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization studies

• Background: The causal association between cigarette smoking and several diseases remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to appraise the causal role of smoking in a wide range of diseases by summarizing the evidence from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies.Methods: MR studies on genetic liability to smoking initiation or lifetime smoking (composite of smoking initiation, heaviness, duration, and cessation) in relation to circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system, musculoskel-etal system, endocrine, metabolic, and eye diseases, and neoplasms published until February 15, 2022, were identi-fied in PubMed. De novo MR analyses were performed using summary statistics data from genome-wide association studies. Meta-analysis was applied to combine study-specific estimates.Findings: Meta-analyses of findings of 29 published MR studies and 123 de novo MR analyses of 57 distinct primary outcomes showed that genetic liability to smoking (smoking initiation or lifetime smoking) was associated with increased risk of 13 circulatory system diseases, several digestive system diseases (including diverticular, gallstone, gastroesophageal reflux, and Crohn's disease, acute pancreatitis, and periodontitis), epilepsy, certain musculoskele-tal system diseases (including fracture, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis), endocrine (polycystic ovary syn-drome), metabolic (type 2 diabetes) and eye diseases (including age-related macular degeneration and senile cataract) as well as cancers of the lung, head and neck, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney, cervix, and ovaries, and myeloid leukemia. Smoking liability was associated with decreased risk of Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer.Interpretation: This study found robust evidence that cigarette smoking causes a wide range of diseases.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cancer

Cardiovascular disease

Chronic diseases

Lifestyle factors

Mendelian randomization

Smoking

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