Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with lower risk of hepatitis B virus infection: A multivariable Mendelian randomization study in East Asian population

Abstract The relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still unclear. We conducted a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using summary statistics from genome‐wide association studies for SLE and HBV infection in individuals of East Asian ancestry. The inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) method, weighted median (WM) method, and MR‐Egger method were used to estimate the causal effect of SLE on HBV infection. Additionally, we performed a multivariable MR analysis adjusting for the effects of body mass index and rheumatoid arthritis. This MR study included a total of 225 106 individuals of East Asian ancestry, comprising 5616 cases and 219 490 controls. The IVW method (OR: 0.79, p = 3.34E−08) and the WM method (OR: 0.79, p = 9.09E−06) revealed a causal relationship between genetically predicted SLE and a low risk of HBV infection. The multivariable MR analysis still suggested a low risk of HBV infection associated with SLE (OR: 0.83, p = 2.89E−06). Our MR analysis supports a causal relationship between SLE and a low risk of HBV infection in individuals of East Asian ancestry.