Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women

Abstract The effect of smoking on osteoarthritis remains controversial and its effect on osteoarthritis of different genders remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the causality in different sexes and to identify the mediating effect of obesity. A two-sample mendelian randomization analysis w...

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Main Authors: Beini Mao, Hetong Li, Jintao Zhong, Xiuwang Li, Hongxun Sang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09546-2
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author Beini Mao
Hetong Li
Jintao Zhong
Xiuwang Li
Hongxun Sang
author_facet Beini Mao
Hetong Li
Jintao Zhong
Xiuwang Li
Hongxun Sang
author_sort Beini Mao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The effect of smoking on osteoarthritis remains controversial and its effect on osteoarthritis of different genders remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the causality in different sexes and to identify the mediating effect of obesity. A two-sample mendelian randomization analysis was performed using summary data from a previous genome-wide association study and UK biobank. Analyses were performed using three methods and inverse variance weighted analysis was used as the primary method. In addition to the overall effect, the effects of smoking on osteoarthritis were evaluated separately in both sexes. The reliability of the results was evaluated using Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR PRESSO, and leave-one-out analysis. The R software was used for the analysis. There were 73 SNPs used as instrumental variables. The primary results supported that smoking led to an increased risk of osteoarthritis in both sexes (overall: OR 1.020, 95%CI 1.012–1.029; women: OR 1.024, 95%CI 1.013–1.035; men: OR 1.016, 95%CI 1.006–1.026). However, the secondary outcome did not support the effect of smoking on men (OR 0.997, 95%CI 0.949–1.047). Cochran’s Q test and MR-PRESSO test indicated that there might be some outliers in the analysis (all p < 0.05), while potential outliers were not found. The MR egger regression, funnel plots, and sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the results. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of obesity. Smoking increases the risk for osteoarthritis in European, especially in women, and smoking education should be recommended.
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spelling doaj-art-e5dab0390f0e458eacd7234cee988d9b2025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-09546-2Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European womenBeini Mao0Hetong Li1Jintao Zhong2Xiuwang Li3Hongxun Sang4Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopedics Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopedics Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopedics Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopedics Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityAbstract The effect of smoking on osteoarthritis remains controversial and its effect on osteoarthritis of different genders remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the causality in different sexes and to identify the mediating effect of obesity. A two-sample mendelian randomization analysis was performed using summary data from a previous genome-wide association study and UK biobank. Analyses were performed using three methods and inverse variance weighted analysis was used as the primary method. In addition to the overall effect, the effects of smoking on osteoarthritis were evaluated separately in both sexes. The reliability of the results was evaluated using Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR PRESSO, and leave-one-out analysis. The R software was used for the analysis. There were 73 SNPs used as instrumental variables. The primary results supported that smoking led to an increased risk of osteoarthritis in both sexes (overall: OR 1.020, 95%CI 1.012–1.029; women: OR 1.024, 95%CI 1.013–1.035; men: OR 1.016, 95%CI 1.006–1.026). However, the secondary outcome did not support the effect of smoking on men (OR 0.997, 95%CI 0.949–1.047). Cochran’s Q test and MR-PRESSO test indicated that there might be some outliers in the analysis (all p < 0.05), while potential outliers were not found. The MR egger regression, funnel plots, and sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the results. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of obesity. Smoking increases the risk for osteoarthritis in European, especially in women, and smoking education should be recommended.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09546-2SmokingOsteoarthritisSexMendelian randomizationEtiologyWomen
spellingShingle Beini Mao
Hetong Li
Jintao Zhong
Xiuwang Li
Hongxun Sang
Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
Scientific Reports
Smoking
Osteoarthritis
Sex
Mendelian randomization
Etiology
Women
title Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
title_full Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
title_fullStr Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
title_full_unstemmed Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
title_short Smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in European women
title_sort smoking can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in european women
topic Smoking
Osteoarthritis
Sex
Mendelian randomization
Etiology
Women
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09546-2
work_keys_str_mv AT beinimao smokingcanincreasetheriskofosteoarthritisineuropeanwomen
AT hetongli smokingcanincreasetheriskofosteoarthritisineuropeanwomen
AT jintaozhong smokingcanincreasetheriskofosteoarthritisineuropeanwomen
AT xiuwangli smokingcanincreasetheriskofosteoarthritisineuropeanwomen
AT hongxunsang smokingcanincreasetheriskofosteoarthritisineuropeanwomen