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Published in: Inflammopharmacology 4/2023

06-05-2023 | Affective Disorder | Original Article

The role of inflammatory biomarkers in the association between rheumatoid arthritis and depression: a Mendelian randomization study

Authors: Shate Xiang, Danyi Xu, Yibo Jin, Rongyun Wang, Chengping Wen, Xinghong Ding

Published in: Inflammopharmacology | Issue 4/2023

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Abstract

Background

Inflammation may mediate the co-pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depression because inflammatory cytokines are associated with RA and depression. However, traditional observational research was not able to address problems with residual confusion and reverse causality.

Methods

We summarized and retrieved 28 inflammatory cytokines associated with RA, depression, or RA with depression through a literature search. The summary statistics from genome-wide association studies for RA, inflammatory biomarkers, broad depression, and major depression disease phenotypes were used. Mendelian randomization was performed to assess the causal association between RA and inflammatory biomarkers, as well as the effects of inflammatory biomarkers on depression. Bonferroni correction was used to reduce the possibility of false positive results.

Results

The study found that evidence for associations of genetically predicted RA was associated with higher levels of interleukin (IL)-9 (OR = 1.035, 95%CI = 1.002–1.068, P = 0.027), IL-12 (OR = 1.045, 95%CI = 1.045–1.014, P = 0.004), IL-13 (OR = 1.060, 95%CI = 1.028–1.092, P = 0.0001), IL-20 (OR = 1.037, 95%CI = 1.001–1.074, P = 0.047), and IL-27 (OR = 1.017, 95%CI = 1.003–1.032, P = 0.021). The level of IL-7 (OR = 1.029, 95%CI = 1.018–1.436, P = 0.030) was significantly related to RA. Only the analysis results between RA and IL-13 were satisfied with the statistical significance threshold corrected by Bonferroni (P < 0.002). However, a causal effect was not found between inflammatory biomarkers and depression.

Conclusions

In the current study the inflammatory cytokines associated with RA comorbid depression may not be the mediators that directly lead to the co-pathogenesis of RA and depression.
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Metadata
Title
The role of inflammatory biomarkers in the association between rheumatoid arthritis and depression: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors
Shate Xiang
Danyi Xu
Yibo Jin
Rongyun Wang
Chengping Wen
Xinghong Ding
Publication date
06-05-2023
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Inflammopharmacology / Issue 4/2023
Print ISSN: 0925-4692
Electronic ISSN: 1568-5608
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-023-01241-w

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