No association between genetically predicted C-reactive protein levels and colorectal cancer survival in Korean: two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
- Author:
Chang Kyun CHOI
1
;
Jung-Ho YANG
;
Min-Ho SHIN
;
Sang-Hee CHO
;
Sun-Seog KWEON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Epidemiology and Health 2023;45(1):e2023039-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES:Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as a poor prognosis, but it remains unclear whether these associations are causal. This study examined the potential causality between CRP levels and CRC survival using 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).
METHODS:From the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, a genome-wide association study (n=59,605), 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to log2-transformed CRP levels were extracted as instrumental variables for CRP levels. The associations between the genetically predicted CRP and CRC-specific and overall mortality among CRC patients (n=6,460) were evaluated by Aalen’s additive hazard model. The sensitivity analysis excluded a SNP related to the blood lipid profile.
RESULTS:During a median of 8.5 years of follow-up, among 6,460 CRC patients, 2,676 (41.4%) CRC patients died from all causes and 1,622 (25.1%) died from CRC. Genetically predicted CRP levels were not significantly associated with overall or CRC-specific mortality in CRC patients. The hazard difference per 1,000 person-years for overall and CRC-specific mortality per 2-fold increase in CRP levels was -2.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], -14.05 to 8.21) and -0.76 (95% CI, -9.61 to 8.08), respectively. These associations were consistent in a subgroup analysis according to metastasis and a sensitivity analysis excluding possible pleiotropic SNPs.
CONCLUSIONS:Our findings do not support a causal role for genetically predisposed CRP levels in CRC survival.
