Ankylosing spondylitis and cardiovascular disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis

Epidemiological research has demonstrated that people suffering from ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), though the potential link between AS genetics and CVD risk is uncertain. This research examined the potential link between CVD outcomes and AS which is genetically determined. A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using data from European population genome-wide association study of AS and CVD. We selected single nucleotide polymorphisms closely associated with AS genetic susceptibility as instrumental variables, and used inverse variance weighted as the main method to analyze the causal effects of AS on 7 CVDs (heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, ischemic stroke, etc). To further reinforce our results, we conducted replication analyses, sensitivity analyses, and instrumental variable strength assessments. In the European population, it was observed that AS genetic susceptibility was correlated with a higher risk of heart failure (odds ratios [OR] = 1.0128, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.0037-1.0219, P = .0058), hypertension (OR = 1.0143, 95% CI: 1.0038-1.0248, P = .0073), and ischemic stroke (OR = 1.0151, 95% CI: 1.0049-1.0255, P = .0036). However, it was not associated with coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, or atrial fibrillation (all P > .05). A sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate the reliability of the results. Evidence from the European population has indicated a correlation between AS and heart failure, hypertension, and ischemic stroke. Further investigations should be conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of action.