Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between varicose veins and hydroceles. Methods: Genetic data for varicose veins and hydroceles were extracted from a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). A total of 22,037 cases of varicose veins and 2634 cases of hydroceles were in...
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SAGE Publishing
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251338670 |
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| author | Chunzhi Guo Yan Qu Hong Liu |
| author_facet | Chunzhi Guo Yan Qu Hong Liu |
| author_sort | Chunzhi Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between varicose veins and hydroceles. Methods: Genetic data for varicose veins and hydroceles were extracted from a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). A total of 22,037 cases of varicose veins and 2634 cases of hydroceles were included for Mendelian randomization analysis. Inverse variance-weighted (IVW) analysis was employed as the primary method, with weighted median and MR-Egger analyses were used for supplementary validation. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to further assess the results. Results: The IVW analysis of varicose veins on hydroceles revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.117 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.009–1.236; P = 0.014). Conversely, the IVW analysis of hydroceles on varicose veins showed an OR of 0.983 (95% CI, 0.944–1.025; P = 0.330). Heterogeneity and pleiotropy were negative in the bidirectional analysis. Conclusions: This study suggests that varicose veins may be a risk factor for hydroceles. However, there is no evidence to support hydroceles as a causal risk factor for varicose veins. Our findings provide genetic evidence for the potential role of varicose veins as a risk factor for hydroceles, offering new insights for clinical practice. By establishing the causal relationship, high-risk patients can be identified, allowing for early surveillance of hydrocele presence to facilitate timely intervention and optimized treatment strategies. A statistically significant causal relationship between varicose veins and hydroceles was found, whereas hydroceles did not exert a causal impact on varicose veins. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1befbafc69e744efa94dfd5f8bac9402 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-3121 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
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| series | SAGE Open Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-1befbafc69e744efa94dfd5f8bac94022025-08-20T03:27:51ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open Medicine2050-31212025-05-011310.1177/20503121251338670Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization studyChunzhi Guo0Yan Qu1Hong Liu2Department of Thyroid Surgery, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Hospital), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaGeneral Surgery/Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of ZunYi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaGeneral Surgery/Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of ZunYi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, ChinaObjective: This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between varicose veins and hydroceles. Methods: Genetic data for varicose veins and hydroceles were extracted from a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). A total of 22,037 cases of varicose veins and 2634 cases of hydroceles were included for Mendelian randomization analysis. Inverse variance-weighted (IVW) analysis was employed as the primary method, with weighted median and MR-Egger analyses were used for supplementary validation. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to further assess the results. Results: The IVW analysis of varicose veins on hydroceles revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.117 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.009–1.236; P = 0.014). Conversely, the IVW analysis of hydroceles on varicose veins showed an OR of 0.983 (95% CI, 0.944–1.025; P = 0.330). Heterogeneity and pleiotropy were negative in the bidirectional analysis. Conclusions: This study suggests that varicose veins may be a risk factor for hydroceles. However, there is no evidence to support hydroceles as a causal risk factor for varicose veins. Our findings provide genetic evidence for the potential role of varicose veins as a risk factor for hydroceles, offering new insights for clinical practice. By establishing the causal relationship, high-risk patients can be identified, allowing for early surveillance of hydrocele presence to facilitate timely intervention and optimized treatment strategies. A statistically significant causal relationship between varicose veins and hydroceles was found, whereas hydroceles did not exert a causal impact on varicose veins.https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251338670 |
| spellingShingle | Chunzhi Guo Yan Qu Hong Liu Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study SAGE Open Medicine |
| title | Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study |
| title_full | Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study |
| title_fullStr | Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study |
| title_short | Causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study |
| title_sort | causal relationship between varicose veins and hydrocele a bidirectional two sample mendelian randomization study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251338670 |
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