Work

Causal relationship between hypothyroidism and peripheral neuropathy: a Mendelian randomization study of European ancestry

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Background Metabolic disorders are significant risk factors for peripheral neuropathy (PN) diseases. However, current clinical observational studies cannot fully determine the causal relationships between hypothyroidism (HT) and PN diseases. Methods We performed univariate Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with hypothyroidism and two diseases clinically presented as HT (autoimmune thyroid disease and benign neoplasm of the pituitary gland and craniopharyngeal duct) as instrumental variables. We selected eight peripheral neuropathy diseases (diabetic neuropathy, nerve root/plexus disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, polyneuropathies, sciatica with lumbago, trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia, small fiber neuropathy) as outcomes. Genetic data were sourced from authoritative genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets. We primarily used the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method and conducted a comprehensive sensitivity analysis to ensure robustness. Results The IVW results indicated that HT was significantly associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (OR = 1.22, p = 6.49E-05). HT was also significantly linked to nerve root/plexus disorder (OR = 1.04, p = 6.43E-06) and carpal tunnel syndrome (OR = 1.04, p = 0.004), but appeared to be a potential protective factor for polyneuropathies (OR = 0.93, p = 0.0009). Additionally, autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) was identified as a potential risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome (OR = 13.79, p = 0.006) and a protective factor for polyneuropathies (OR = 0.0011; p = 4.44E-5). Conclusions This study provides genetic evidence supporting potential causal links between hypothyroidism and various peripheral neuropathy diseases.

Source: Frontiers in Endocrinology

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1436823

Authors: Xiping Duan, Tianchi Zhang, Ke Wang

Institutions: Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Genetic Associations and Epidemiology

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,295