Cheese consumption and risk of diabetic retinopathies: A Mendelian Randomization study

Summary

This Mendelian randomisation study used GWAS summary statistics from 451,486 individuals of European descent to investigate causal associations between cheese consumption and diabetic retinopathy outcomes. Genetically-predicted cheese consumption was associated with reduced risk of diabetic retinopathy (OR=0.701), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (OR=0.671), and diabetic maculopathy (OR=0.357), with multivariable analyses suggesting these associations were largely independent of classical DR risk factors including triglycerides, blood pressure, and glycaemic control.

Regional applicability

The study used European GWAS data and outcome data from the FinnGen research project (Finland), so findings may be most directly applicable to European populations including the United Kingdom. Transferability to non-European ancestry populations would require separate validation, as genetic instruments and allele frequencies can differ substantially between ancestries.

Key measures

Odds ratios (OR) for DR, PDR, and DMP per 1-SD increase in genetically-instrumented cheese consumption; P-values; multivariable MR estimates adjusting for BMI, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and HbA1c.

Outcomes reported

The study investigated whether cheese consumption is causally associated with risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and diabetic maculopathy (DMP) using Mendelian randomisation analysis of GWAS data. Multivariable MR was used to assess whether associations were independent of common DR risk factors.

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