Risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus: an overview of systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies

Abstract

Background The etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus is complex and incurable. A large number of systematic reviews have studied the risk factors of it. Mendelian randomization is an analytical method that uses genetic data as tool variables to evaluate the causal relationship between exposure and outcome. Objective To review the systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies that focused on the risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus and shed light on the development of treatments for its prevention and intervention. Methods From inception to January 2022, we systematically searched MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Embase for related systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies. Extract relevant main data for studies that meet inclusion criteria. The quality of systematic reviews was assessed by using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2). Finally, the risk factors are scored comprehensively according to the results’ quantity, quality, and consistency. Results Our study involved 64 systematic reviews and 12 Mendelian randomization studies. The results of systematic reviews showed that diseases (endometriosis, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis), lifestyle (smoking, drinking, vaccination), and gene polymorphism influenced the incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus. The results of Mendelian randomization studies identified the role of disease (periodontitis, celiac disease), trace elements (selenium, iron), cytokines (growth differentiation factor 15), and gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Conclusion We should pay attention to preventing and treating systemic lupus erythematosus in patients with endometriosis, celiac disease, and periodontitis. Take appropriate dietary supplements to increase serum iron and selenium levels to reduce the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus. There should be no excessive intervention in lifestyles such as smoking and drinking.

Causal association between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary biliary cholangitis: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

“…Confounders were manually retrieved from previous studies in PubMed database. [24–26] The PhenoScanner V2 database (http://www.phenoscanner.medschl.cam.ac.uk/) was used to screen and exclude SNPs associated with confounders.…”

Association of lipid lowering drugs and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: a drug target Mendelian randomization

“…Multivariate MR analysis was performed to determine whether lifestyle factors, dietary factors, and exercise played important roles in the causal effect of lipid-lowering drugs on SLE risk. According to previous reviews on SLE risk ( Vordenbäumen et al, 2023 ; Xiao et al, 2023 ), we identified smoking status and alcohol intake frequency as the first group of lifestyle factors, selenium and iron intake as the second group of dietary factors, and accelerometer-based physical activity measurement as the third group of physical activity-related factors. Data for the three groups of factors were obtained from the UK Biobank.…”

piRNA associates with immune diseases

“…The global prevalence of SLE is 43.7 (ranging from 15.87 to 108.92) per 100,000 persons, with much higher rates among Asians, Hispanics and Africans [ 105 ]. The pathogenesis of SLE is complex, involving many risk factors including diseases (e.g., atopic dermatitis), lifestyle choices (e.g., smoking and drinking), and genetic polymorphisms (e.g., genes related to B cell and T cell functions) [ 106 ]. SLE can damage tissues and organs in the body, leading to various complications such as lupus nephritis (LN) [ 107 ].…”