Evaluating the relationship between alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and cardiovascular disease: A multivariable Mendelian randomization study
Rosoff DB, Smith GD, Mehta N, et al
December 7, 2020
Researchers assessed potential total as well as direct causal roles of alcohol and tobacco use on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and events, by using a broad range of CVD risk factors and outcomes. They utilized large publicly available genome-wide association studies of mainly European ancestry, to perform 2-sample single-variable Mendelian randomization and multivariable Mendelian randomization to simultaneously examine the independent effect of alcohol intake and smoking on a broad range of CVD risk factors as well as outcomes. Findings did not reveal a cardioprotective effect of genetically predicted alcohol intake on CVD outcomes, while assessing the widest range of CVD risk factors and outcomes of any alcohol use or smoking Mendelian randomization study to date. However, alcohol was found to be related to an elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, reduced triglycerides, and raised blood pressure, which may suggest pathways through impact CVD risk, justifying further inquiry. Even after adjusting for alcohol, smoking was shown to confer a risk for many CVDs. While there is a need for future studies including alcohol intake patterns, these data are indicative of a causal inference between alcohol, smoking, and CVD risk, this further supports that overall CVD risk might be decreased via lifestyle changes.