Mendelian randomization is a causal inference method using genetic variations as instrumental variables, which skillfully takes advantages of the distributive randomness and timing priority of genetic variation, effectively avoiding confounding biases and reverse causalities in traditional observational researches. It has become a research hotspot in recent years. As a complex inflammatory disease, periodontitis is associated with many factors, but the cognitions about these associations are mostly based on traditional observational studies, lacking strong evidences to infer the causality. In order to bring up new research ideas in the periodontal field, this article mainly reviewed Mendelian randomization and its research progress in periodontitis.
孟德尔随机化是一种以遗传变异为工具变量的因果推断法，它利用遗传变异的分配随机性和时序优先性，有效克服了传统观察性研究中的混杂偏倚和反向因果，成为近年的研究热点。牙周炎作为一种复杂的炎症性疾病，其与多种因素间存在相互关联，但这种关联认知多基于传统观察性研究，目前仍缺乏推断因果关系的有力证据。鉴于孟德尔随机化可能给牙周领域带来新的研究思路，本文针对该方法及其在牙周炎研究领域中的应用进展作一综述。.