Affiliation:
1. School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
2. Shanghai Deji Hospital, Qingdao University, Shanghai 200331, China
Abstract
The association between thyroid function and viral pneumonia has undergone extensive examination, yet the presence of a causal link remains uncertain. The objective of this paper was to employ Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the connections between three thyroid diseases and thyroid hormone indicators with viral pneumonia and COVID-19. We obtained summary statistics datasets from seven genome-wide association studies (GWASs). The primary method used for estimating relationships was inverse-variance weighting (IVW). In addition, we employed weighted median, weighted mode, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO as supplementary analytical tools. Sensitivity analyses encompassed Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, and MR-PRESSO. Our study revealed significant causal relationships between having a genetic predisposition to autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and an increased susceptibility to viral pneumonia (odds ratio [OR]: 1.096; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.022–1.176). Moreover, it demonstrated a heightened susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 (OR for COVID-19 susceptibility, COVID-19 hospitalization, and COVID-19 critical illness, with 95% CIs of 1.016, 1.001–1.032; 1.058, 1.003–1.116; 1.045, 1.010–1.081). However, no statistically significant associations were found between TSH, FT4, subclinical hypo- or hyperthyroidism, and the risk of viral pneumonia incidence, or the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 (all p > 0.05). This study establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between AITD and the development of viral pneumonia, as well as the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19.
Funder
Three-year Action Program of Shanghai Municipality for Strengthening the Construction of Public Health System
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Microbiology (medical),General Immunology and Microbiology,Molecular Biology,Immunology and Allergy