JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune thyroid disorder characterized by hyperthyroidism and autoantibodies. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about its potential relationship with autoimmune diseases like GD.

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the causal association between COVID-19 and GD through Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis and assess the impact of COVID-19 on GD.

Methods:

We conducted an MR study using extensive genome-wide association studies data for GD and COVID-19 susceptibility and its severity. We employed stringent SNP selection criteria and various MR methodologies, including Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median analyses, to assess causal relationships. We also conducted tests for directional pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and sensitivity analyses.

Results:

The MR analysis, based on the largest available dataset to date, did not provide evidence supporting a causal relationship between COVID-19 susceptibility (OR = 0.989, 95% CI: 0.405-2.851, P = 0.926), COVID-19 hospitalization (OR = 0.974, 95% CI: 0.852-1.113, P = 0.700), COVID-19 severity (OR = 0.979, 95% CI: 0.890-1.077, P = 0.663), and GD. Tests for directional pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and sensitivity analyses supported these findings.

Conclusions:

This comprehensive MR study does not provide sufficient evidence to support a causal relationship between COVID-19 and the onset or exacerbation of Graves' disease. These results contribute to a better understanding of the potential association between COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases, alleviating concerns about a surge in autoimmune thyroid diseases due to the pandemic. Further research is warranted to explore this complex relationship thoroughly.