Recently, Prof. WANG Chaolong and his team from the School of Public Health of TJMC, published 2 papers concerning Mendelian randomization research in Genome Medicine 3 and Diabetes 4, two international authoritative journals.

This study systematically clarified the causal relationship between 37 common clinical indicators and coronary heart disease(CHD), and constructed the causal relationship network between three lipid traits and fasting insulin (FI) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which provided important clues for the prevention and intervention of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus.

Both Mendelian randomization studies, the team used the largest public sample available in the GWAS database and designed a rigorous instrumental variable screening method to rule out the effects of potential pleiotropy.

Systematic and cross-population inference of the causal effects of common clinical indicators is helpful to further understand the etiology of coronary heart disease(CHD), and is of great value in formulating prevention strategies and finding potential therapeutic targets for coronary heart disease. In addition, by focusing on the causal relationship between blood sugar and lipid traits, the team clarified the importance of timely control of insulin resistance in preventing diabetes, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular complications.