Effects of Selenium on Chronic Kidney Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #mendelian-randomization-analysis #genome-wide-association-study #selenium #renal-insufficiency-chronic

Effects of Selenium on Chronic Kidney Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Fu et al., 2022 | Nutrients | Meta Analysis

Citation

Fu Shaojie, Zhang Li, ... Xu Zhonggao. Effects of Selenium on Chronic Kidney Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Nutrients. 2022-Oct-23;14(21). doi:10.3390/nu14214458

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous observational studies have shown that there is a controversial association between selenium levels and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aim was to assess the causal relationship between selenium levels and CKD using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: We used the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to analyze the causal role of selenium levels on CKD risk. The variants associated with selenium levels were extracted from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of circulating selenium levels (n = 5477) and toenail selenium levels (n = 4162) in the European population. Outcome data were from the largest GWAS meta-analysis of European-ancestry participants for kidney function to date. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main analysis and a series of sensitivity analyses were carried out to detect potential violations of MR assumptions. RESULTS: The MR analysis results indicate that the genetically predicted selenium levels were associated with decreased estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) (effect = -0.0042, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.0053-0.0031, p = 2.186 × 10-13) and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (effect = 0.0029, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0006-0.0052, p = 0.0136) with no pleiotropy detected. CONCLUSIONS: The MR study indicated that an increased level of selenium is a causative factor for kidney function impairment.

Key Findings

The MR analysis results indicate that the genetically predicted selenium levels were associated with decreased estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) (effect = -0.0042, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.0053-0.0031, p = 2.186 × 10-13) and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (effect = 0.0029, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0006-0.0052, p = 0.0136) with no pleiotropy detected.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 5477
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Mendelian Randomization Analysis
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Selenium
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
  • Causality
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Journal Article
  • Vertical: selenium

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09