World J Clin Cases. Sep 16, 2024; 12(26): 5937-5945 Published online Sep 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i26.5937
Modifiable factors mediating the effects of educational attainment on gestational diabetes mellitus: A two-step Mendelian randomization study
Ming-Yue Ma, Ya-Song Zhao
Ming-Yue Ma, Ya-Song Zhao, Department of Nursing, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
Author contributions: Ma MY provide an idea, find data, data analysis, and manuscript checking; Zhao YS write the first draft and data visualization; all authors have read and agreed to publish the manuscript; all authors participated in data interpretation, revisions, and approved the final version submitted for publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Corresponding author: Ya-Song Zhao, PhD, Researcher, Department of Nursing, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China. zys18940252012@163.com
Received: April 24, 2024 Revised: July 1, 2024 Accepted: July 10, 2024 Published online: September 16, 2024 Processing time: 90 Days and 4.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Studies have shown that the level of maternal education is associated with the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In this study, we sought to identify the specific modifiable risk factors that mediate the causal relationship between the level of maternal education and the likelihood of developing GDM. We performed Mendelian randomization analyses based on publicly available data obtained in a number of genome-wide association studies of European populations. Our findings indicate that a genetically predicted higher level of maternal education is associated with a lower GDM risk and that four modifiable metabolic factors contribute to mediating this association, namely, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, and the contents of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-1.
