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Inferring Causal Relationships Between Risk Factors and Outcomes from Genome-Wide Association Study Data.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Foley, Christopher N 

Abstract

An observational correlation between a suspected risk factor and an outcome does not necessarily imply that interventions on levels of the risk factor will have a causal impact on the outcome (correlation is not causation). If genetic variants associated with the risk factor are also associated with the outcome, then this increases the plausibility that the risk factor is a causal determinant of the outcome. However, if the genetic variants in the analysis do not have a specific biological link to the risk factor, then causal claims can be spurious. We review the Mendelian randomization paradigm for making causal inferences using genetic variants. We consider monogenic analysis, in which genetic variants are taken from a single gene region, and polygenic analysis, which includes variants from multiple regions. We focus on answering two questions: When can Mendelian randomization be used to make reliable causal inferences, and when can it be used to make relevant causal inferences? Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics Volume 19 is August 31, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Description

Keywords

causal inference, drug discovery, genetic epidemiology, instrumental variable, target validation, Causality, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Risk Factors

Journal Title

Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1545-293X
1545-293X

Volume Title

19

Publisher

Annual Reviews, Inc.
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/L003120/1)
Wellcome Trust (204623/Z/16/Z)
British Heart Foundation (None)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00002/7)