Body Mass Index and the Risk of Rheumatic Disease: Linear and Nonlinear Mendelian Randomization Analyses
Authors' conclusion
Higher BMI causes an increased risk for rheumatic disease, an effect that is more pronounced in women for both gout and psoriatic arthropathy.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank cohort participants; 5 rheumatic diseases: RA (n = 8,381 cases), OA, psoriatic arthropathy, gout, inflammatory spondylitisUK Biobank · OA 87,430 · psoriatic arthropathy 933 · gout 13,638 · inflammatory spondylitis 4,328
- Participants
- 361,952 participants
- Comparison
- Genetically predicted body mass index (BMI)
- Outcome
- Incidence of RA, OA, psoriatic arthropathy, gout and inflammatory spondylitis
Methodological detailslinear and nonlinear mendelian randomization, sex-specific analyses
- Linear and nonlinear mendelian randomization
- Sex-specific analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incidence per 1 SD increase in BMI (linear MR, all individuals)
- RA, IRR
- 1.52 (1.36-1.69) (95% CI)
- OA, IRR
- 1.49 (1.43-1.55) (95% CI)
- Psoriatic arthropathy, IRR
- 1.80 (1.31-2.48) (95% CI)
- Gout, IRR
- 1.73 (1.56-1.92) (95% CI)
- Inflammatory spondylitis, IRR
- 1.34 (1.14-1.57) (95% CI)
Further findings
Sex interaction: BMI a stronger risk factor in women vs men
- Psoriatic arthropathy, P for sex interaction
- 3.3 × 10-4
- Gout, P for sex interaction
- 4.3 × 10-3
OA: effect stronger in premenopausal vs postmenopausal women
- P
- 1.8 × 10-3
Nonlinear effects of BMI
- Nonlinearity for gout more extreme in men vs women, P
- 0.03
- Nonlinear effects identified for OA and gout in men, and for gout in women
- Nonlinear mendelian randomization (MR)
Original publication
Body Mass Index and the Risk of Rheumatic Disease: Linear and Nonlinear Mendelian Randomization Analyses. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 28 September 2023. doi:10.
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