A Mendelian randomization analysis of the causal effect of body mass index on biomarkers and renal failure risk
- 1Department of Intensive Care Medicine, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
- 2The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China.
Abstract
Renal failure significantly impairs the kidneys’ ability to filter waste and maintain fluid balance. This study employed Mendelian Randomization (MR) to investigate the causal effect of BMI on 44 biomarkers related to renal failure. The genetic data were sourced from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and biobank datasets, including blood cells, urinary electrolytes, enzymes, liver markers, lipids, and blood pressure. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used as instrumental variables (IVs) to assess the causal relationships and to identify significant mediators of the BMI-renal failure pathway. The study found that BMI is a risk factor for renal failure (OR = 1.324, P = .00185). Out of 44 biomarkers, nine were associated with renal failure, and five acted as mediators in the relationship between BMI and renal failure: cystatin C (12.34%), glucose (7.02%), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (6.83%), diastolic blood pressure (6.37%), and systolic blood pressure (7.14%). The findings suggest that reducing BMI could improve renal health by addressing metabolic factors like blood glucose and blood pressure. This study highlights the causal pathways linking BMI to renal failure, underscoring the importance of weight management and metabolic control for prevention.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026mendelian,
title = {{A Mendelian randomization analysis of the causal effect of body mass index on biomarkers and renal failure risk}},
author = {Xin Liu and Wenwen Yang},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000051095},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727211},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A Mendelian randomization analysis of the causal effect of body mass index on biomarkers and renal failure risk
AU - Xin Liu
AU - Wenwen Yang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Medicine
DO - 10.1097/md.0000000000051095
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727211
AB - Renal failure significantly impairs the kidneys’ ability to filter waste and maintain fluid balance. This study employed Mendelian Randomization (MR) to investigate the causal effect of BMI on 44 biomarkers related to renal failure. The genetic data were sourced from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and biobank datasets, including blood cells, urinary electrolytes, enzymes, liver markers, lipids, and blood pressure. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used as instrumental variables (IVs) to assess the causal relationships and to identify significant mediators of the BMI-renal failure pathway. The study found that BMI is a risk factor for renal failure (OR = 1.324, P = .00185). Out of 44 biomarkers, nine were associated with renal failure, and five acted as mediators in the relationship between BMI and renal failure: cystatin C (12.34%), glucose (7.02%), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (6.83%), diastolic blood pressure (6.37%), and systolic blood pressure (7.14%). The findings suggest that reducing BMI could improve renal health by addressing metabolic factors like blood glucose and blood pressure. This study highlights the causal pathways linking BMI to renal failure, underscoring the importance of weight management and metabolic control for prevention.
SN - 0304-5412
SN - 1536-5964
SN - 0025-7974
ER -