Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35445260›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of epidemiology2022

Identifying factors contributing to increased susceptibility to COVID-19 risk: a systematic review of Mendelian randomization studies.

Shan Luo, Ying Liang, Tommy Hon Ting Wong, Catherine Mary Schooling, Shiu Lun Au Yeung

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of epidemiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
11.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 109 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Introduction to Mendelian randomization.Annals of clinical epidemiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Shan LuoSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3368-9935
Ying LiangSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6804-3806
Tommy Hon Ting WongSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4822-4604
Catherine Mary SchoolingSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9933-5887
Shiu Lun Au YeungSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6136-1836
University of Hong Kong · HKCity University of New York · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo summarize modifiable factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suggested by Mendelian randomization studies.

methodsIn this systematic review, we searched PubMed, EMBASE and MEDLINE, from inception to 15 November 2021, for Mendelian randomization studies in English. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically predicted exposures with COVID-19-related outcomes (severity, hospitalization and susceptibility). Risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated based on the consideration of the three main assumptions for instrumental variable analyses.

resultsWe identified 700 studies through systematic search, of which 50 Mendelian randomization studies were included. Included studies have explored a wide range of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle attributes, anthropometrics and biomarkers, predisposition to diseases and druggable targets in COVID-19 risk. Mendelian randomization studies suggested that increases in smoking, obesity and inflammatory factors were associated with higher risk of COVID-19. Predisposition to ischaemic stroke, combined bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, chronic kidney disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was potentially associated with higher COVID-19 risk. Druggable targets, such as higher protein expression of histo-blood group ABO system transferase (ABO), interleukin (IL)-6 and lower protein expression of 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) were associated with higher risk of COVID-19. There was no strong genetic evidence supporting the role of vitamin D, glycaemic traits and predisposition to cardiometabolic diseases in COVID-19 risk.

conclusionThis review summarizes modifiable factors for intervention (e.g. smoking, obesity and inflammatory factors) and proteomic signatures (e.g. OAS1 and IL-6) that could help identify drugs for treating COVID-19.

Indexed as

Brain IschemiaCOVID-19StrokeGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisObesityPolymorphism, Single NucleotideProteomicsRisk FactorsCOVID-19Mendelian randomization studiesSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID35445260
PMCPMC9047195
OpenAlexW4224295799

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.