Causal Associations Between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Venous Thromboembolism

Abstract Objective The aim of the study is to assess the causal effects of cardiovascular risk factors on venous thromboembolism (VTE) and its subtypes including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods A summary-level Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed by extracting data from public and large-scale genome-wide association studies for cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], type 2 diabetes, fasting glucose, body mass index [BMI], smoking, alcohol, and physical activity), VTE, DVT, and PE to identify genetic instruments. Results BMI (per standard deviation [SD] increase; odds ratio [OR]: 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–1.54; p = 8.02 × 10−10) could increase the VTE risk, whereas SBP (per SD increase; OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.0005) could decrease the VTE risk. For DVT, BMI (per SD increase; OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.28–1.72; p = 1.53 × 10−7) could increase the risk, whereas physical activity (per SD increase; OR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01–0.33; p = 0.0020) could decrease the risk. For PE, BMI (per SD increase; OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.12–1.49; p = 0.0005) could increase the risk, whereas SBP (per SD increase; OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–1.00; p = 0.0032) could decrease the risk. Suggestive evidence between smoking and higher risks of VTE and DVT was also observed. Conclusion Our study supports that BMI is a causal risk factor for VTE, DVT, and PE. SBP is a protective factor for VTE and PE. Physical activity is a protective factor for DVT. However, the effects of other cardiovascular risk factors are not identified.