Large differences in adiponectin levels have no clear effect on multiple sclerosis risk: A Mendelian randomization study.

Background:Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have demonstrated strong support for an association between genetically increased body mass index and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The adipokine adiponectinmay be a potential mechanism linking body mass to risk of MS.Objective:To evaluate whether genetically increased adiponectinlevels influence risk of MS.Methods:Using genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for adiponectin, we undertook an MR study to estimate the effect of adiponectinon MS. This method prevents bias due to reverse causation and minimizes bias due to confounding. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the assumptions of MR.Results:MR analyses did not support a role for genetically elevated adiponectinin risk of MS (odds ratio (OR) = 0.93 per unit increase in natural-log-transformed adiponectin, equivalent to a two-standard deviation increase in adiponectinon the absolute scale; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66–1.33; p = 0.61). Further MR analysis...