Evidence mapPaperPMID 39670377Full record

ArticlePacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing2025

Uterine fibroids show evidence of shared genetic architecture with blood pressure traits.

Alexis T Akerele, Jacqueline A Piekos, Jeewoo Kim, Nikhil K Khankari, Jacklyn N Hellwege, Todd L Edwards, Digna R Velez Edwards

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

7 authors.

Alexis T AkereleSchool of Graduate Studies, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Physiology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, 37208, Division of Quantitative and Clinical Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Data Science Institute, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, apigg21@mmc.edu.
Jacqueline A PiekosDivision of Quantitative and Clinical Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Data Science Institute Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, jacqueline.piekos@vanderbilt.edu.
Jeewoo KimDivision of Quantitative and Clinical Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Data Science Institute Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, jeewoo.kim@vanderbilt.edu.
Nikhil K KhankariDivision of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, jacklyn.hellwege@vumc.org.
Jacklyn N HellwegeDivision of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, nikhil.khankari@vumc.org.
Todd L EdwardsDivision of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, todd.l.edwards@vumc.org.
Digna R Velez EdwardsDivision of Quantitative and Clinical Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Data Science Institute Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, U.S.A, digna.r.velez.edwards@vumc.org.

Funding

Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's HealthK12HD043483 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI HARTMANN, KATHERINE E, MAJOR, AMY S · 2002 to 2023
$10.3M
NRSA Training CoreTL1TR002244 · NCATS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Julie A. Bastarache · 2017 to 2026
$4.6M
Large-scale studies in eMERGE to discover the genetic determinants of uterine fibroidsR01HD093671 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI EDWARDS, TODD L, VELEZ EDWARDS, DIGNA R · 2017 to 2021
$3.3M
Understanding the genetic risk underlying racial disparities in uterine fibroids - Diversity SupplementR01HD074711 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI VELEZ EDWARDS, DIGNA R · 2013 to 2017
$2.9M
Evaluating the impact of altered gene expression on uterine fibroid risk in African ancestry populationsR01HD112169 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Todd L Edwards, Digna R Velez Edwards · 2024 to 2026
$2.1M
Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's HealthK12AR084232 · NIAMS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI AMY S MAJOR, Digna R Velez Edwards · 2023 to 2026
$1.3M
COGENT consortium meta-analysis of blood pressure in African ancestry cohortsR21HL121429 · NHLBI · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI EDWARDS, TODD L, VELEZ EDWARDS, DIGNA R · 2014 to 2015
$251k
Using the Exome to Discover Genetic Determinants of Fibroids in African AmericansR03HD078567 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI VELEZ EDWARDS, DIGNA R · 2014 to 2015
$155k
NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR002244NHLBI NIH HHS R21 HL121429NIAMS NIH HHS K12 AR084232NICHD NIH HHS K12 HD043483NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD074711NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD093671NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD112169NICHD NIH HHS R03 HD078567
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomata (fibroids, UFs) are common, benign tumors in females, having an estimated prevalence of up to 80%. They are fibrous masses growing within the myometrium leading to chronic symptoms like dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, anemia, severe pelvic pain, and infertility. Hypertension (HTN) is a common risk factor for UFs, though less prevalent in premenopausal individuals. While observational studies have indicated strong associations between UFs and HTN, the biological mechanisms linking the two conditions remain unclear. Understanding the relationship between HTN and UFs is crucial because UFs and HTN lead to substantial comorbidities adversely impacting female health. Identifying the common underlying biological mechanisms can improve treatment strategies for both conditions. To clarify the genetic and causal relationships between UFs and BP, we conducted a bidirectional, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and evaluated the genetic correlations across BP traits and UFs. We used data from a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of UFs (44,205 cases and 356,552 controls), and data from a cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis of BP phenotypes (diastolic BP [DBP], systolic BP [SBP], and pulse pressure [PP], N=447,758). We evaluated genetic correlation of BP phenotypes and UFs with linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC). LDSC results indicated a positive genetic correlation between DBP and UFs (Rg=0.132, p<5.0x10-5), and SBP and UFs (Rg=0.063, p<2.5x10-2). MR using UFs as the exposure and BP traits as outcomes indicated a relationship where UFs increases DBP (odds ratio [OR]=1.20, p<2.7x10-3). Having BP traits as exposures and UFs as the outcome showed that DBP and SBP increase risk for UFs (OR =1.04, p<2.2x10-3; OR=1.00, p<4.0x10-2; respectively). Our results provide evidence of shared genetic architecture and pleiotropy between HTN and UFs, suggesting common biological pathways driving their etiologies. Based on these findings, DBP appears to be a stronger risk factor for UFs compared to SBP and PP.

Indexed as

Blood PressureComputational BiologyGenome-Wide Association StudyHypertensionLeiomyomaMendelian Randomization AnalysisPolymorphism, Single NucleotideUterine NeoplasmsFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseHumansRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID39670377
PMCPMC11649017

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.