Tobacco and alcohol consumption and the risk of frailty and falling: a Mendelian randomisation study. 2023

Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.

Epidemiological data have suggested that tobacco and alcohol consumption were associated with the risk of frailty and falling, but it is yet unclear whether these associations are of a causal nature. Thus, we conducted two-sample Mendelian randomisation analysis using genetic instruments to determine the causal associations of tobacco and alcohol consumption on frailty and falls. Independent instrumental variables strongly (p<5E-09) associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption were obtained from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine use (up to 2 669 029 participants). Summary statistics of the frailty index (FI, N=175 226) and falling risk (N=451 179) were from the two latest published GWAS datasets on FI and falling risk. Using the inverse-variance weighted method, our results showed that genetically determined initiation of smoking was significantly associated with an increased FI (β=0.34, 95% CI=0.29 to 0.40, p=5.48E-33) and risk of falling (OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.30 to 1.50, p=1.01E-20). In addition, the age of initiation of smoking and cigarettes consumption per day was negatively and positively associated with both FI and falls, respectively. Current smokers were prone to having a higher FI and falling risk than individuals who quit smoking. There was no significant causal association between alcohol use and the risk of frailty and falling. Similar results were obtained using other statistical approaches with good stability. Our findings demonstrate that tobacco use, but not alcohol drinking, significantly increases the risk of frailty and falling. Future studies are warranted to clarify the underlying physiopathological mechanisms.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000058 Accidental Falls Falls due to slipping or tripping which may result in injury. Falls, Accidental,Falling,Falls,Slip and Fall,Accidental Fall,Fall and Slip,Fall, Accidental
D000073496 Frailty A state of increased vulnerability to stressors, following declines in function and reserves across multiple physiologic systems, characterized by MUSCLE WEAKNESS; FATIGUE; slowed motor performance; low physical activity; and unintentional weight loss. Debility,Frailness,Frailty Syndrome,Debilities,Frailties
D000428 Alcohol Drinking Behaviors associated with the ingesting of ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, including social drinking. Alcohol Consumption,Alcohol Intake,Drinking, Alcohol,Alcohol Drinking Habits,Alcohol Drinking Habit,Alcohol Intakes,Consumption, Alcohol,Drinking Habit, Alcohol,Habit, Alcohol Drinking,Habits, Alcohol Drinking,Intake, Alcohol
D014026 Nicotiana A plant genus of the family SOLANACEAE. Members contain NICOTINE and other biologically active chemicals; the dried leaves of Nicotiana tabacum are used for SMOKING. Tobacco Plant,Nicotiana tabacum,Plant, Tobacco,Plants, Tobacco,Tobacco Plants
D055106 Genome-Wide Association Study An analysis comparing the allele frequencies of all available (or a whole GENOME representative set of) polymorphic markers to identify gene candidates or quantitative trait loci associated with a specific organism trait or specific disease or condition. Genome Wide Association Analysis,Genome Wide Association Study,GWA Study,Genome Wide Association Scan,Genome Wide Association Studies,Whole Genome Association Analysis,Whole Genome Association Study,Association Studies, Genome-Wide,Association Study, Genome-Wide,GWA Studies,Genome-Wide Association Studies,Studies, GWA,Studies, Genome-Wide Association,Study, GWA,Study, Genome-Wide Association
D057182 Mendelian Randomization Analysis The use of the GENETIC VARIATION of known functions or phenotypes to correlate the causal effects of those functions or phenotypes with a disease outcome. Analysis, Mendelian Randomization

Related Publications

Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
October 2022, Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland),
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
December 2023, Journal of epidemiology and community health,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
January 2017, International journal of cancer,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
December 2015, Scientific reports,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
July 2022, European journal of epidemiology,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
November 2022, Age and ageing,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
May 2016, Scientific reports,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
October 2018, Annals of the rheumatic diseases,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
November 2019, Annals of the rheumatic diseases,
Xingzhi Guo, and Peng Tang, and Lina Zhang, and Rui Li
May 2024, Aging clinical and experimental research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!