Evidence mapPaperPMID 42215633Full record

ArticleEye (London, England)2026

Causal relationship between aspirin use and age-related macular degeneration.

Juanhua Zhu, Chenggong Zeng, Rongsui Tang, Weiwei Lu, Shasha Wang, Lijuan Huang, Zhen Xiong, Aijun Deng, Zijun Zhen, Rongyuan Chen and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Eye (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Juanhua Zhu *State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Chenggong Zeng *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Rongsui Tang *State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Weiwei LuState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Shasha WangState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Lijuan HuangState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Zhen XiongState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China.
Aijun DengAffiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.
Zijun ZhenState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. zhenzj@sysucc.org.cn.
Rongyuan ChenState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China. nullall@163.com.
Xuri LiState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, China. lixr6@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8277-0767

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82220108016
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAlthough increasing evidence suggests an association between aspirin use and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the potential causal relationship between them remains controversial. This study aims to explore the causal genetic association and potential mediators between aspirin use and AMD using Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis.

methodsA bidirectional, two-sample, two-step MR analysis was performed to assess the potential causal relationships among aspirin use, AMD, and possible mediators. Multivariable MR was additionally performed to estimate the direct effect of aspirin use on AMD after adjusting for mediators. Causal estimates were primarily derived using an inverse variance weighted method. Horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and stability were evaluated using the MR-Egger intercept test, Cochran's Q test, and leave-one-out analysis.

resultsAn MR analysis revealed that aspirin use was associated with an increased risk of both early and dry AMD. A mediation analysis indicated that aspirin use is associated with a lower level of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), an elevated serum apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) concentration, and an increased risk of early and dry AMD. Multivariable MR analysis further showed that after adjusting for LDL-C and APOA1, the direct effect of aspirin on AMD was attenuated to non-significance.

conclusionThis study provides robust genetic evidence that aspirin use is associated with an increased risk of early and dry AMD, and demonstrates that this association is fully mediated by decreased serum LDL-C and increased serum APOA1 levels, with no evidence of a direct effect independent of these lipid pathways.

Indexed as

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalAspirinMacular DegenerationApolipoprotein A-ICholesterol, LDLHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisPolymorphism, Single NucleotideRisk FactorsAnti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalAPOA1 protein, humanApolipoprotein A-IAspirinCholesterol, LDL

Identifiers

PMID42215633
PMCPMC13462141

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.