Association Between Atopic Dermatitis, Asthma, and Serum Lipids: A UK Biobank Based Observational Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Zhenwei Tang; Minxue Shen; Yi Xiao; Hong Liu; Xiang Chen

doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.810092

Association Between Atopic Dermatitis, Asthma, and Serum Lipids: A UK Biobank Based Observational Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Feb 21:9:810092. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.810092. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Zhenwei Tang^{1

2

3}, Minxue Shen^{1

2

3

4}, Yi Xiao^{1

2

3}, Hong Liu^{1

2

3}, Xiang Chen^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
² Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Changsha, China.
³ Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁴ Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.

Abstract

Background: Both atopic diseases and dysregulation of serum lipids (SLs) add to significant health burden, but evidences about their association are inconsistent.

Objective: This work is to evaluate the association between asthma/atopic dermatitis (AD) and SLs and investigate the potential causal relationship.

Methods: A large-scale cross-sectional study based on the UK Biobank (UKB) and then examined the casual relationships between SLs with asthma/AD based on a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Results: A total of 502,505 participants were included in analysis. After full adjustment, AD was associated with lower TG (β = -0.006; 95%CI, -0.010 to -0.002; P = 0.006), lower LDL (β = -0.004; 95%CI, -0.006 to -0.002, P < 0.001), and lower TC (β = -0.004; 95%CI, -0.005 to -0.002; P < 0.001) but insignificantly correlated to HDL (P = 0.794). Asthma was also inversely correlated to TG (β = -0.005; 95%CI, = -0.007 to -0.003; < 0.001), LDL (β = -0.003; 95%CI, -0.004 to -0.002; P < 0.001), and TC (β = -0.002; 95%CI, -0.003 to -0.002; P < 0.001), but was positively correlated to HDL (β = 0.004; 95%CI, 0.003 to 0.005; P < 0.001), respectively. In subsequent MR analysis, both allergic diseases and asthma showed a protective effect on TC. Allergic diseases, asthma, and AD all showed a negative effect on LDL.

Conclusion: Collectively, we identify a protective causal effect of allergic diseases on serum lipids, as well as a potentially positive association of HDL with asthma. Owing to the largest sample size and the application of IVs in causal inference, this study will provide a robust evidence for the management of asthma and AD and the prevention of dyslipidemia.

Keywords: Mendelian randomization; UK biobank; asthma; atopic dermatitis; serum lipids.