Authors
Taavi Tillmann, Julien Vaucher, Aysu Okbay, Hynek Pikhart, Anne Peasey, Ruzena Kubinova, Andrzej Pajak, Abdonas Tamosiunas, Sofia Malyutina, Fernando Pires Hartwig, Krista Fischer, Giovanni Veronesi, Tom Palmer, Jack Bowden, George Davey Smith, Martin Bobak, Michael V Holmes
Publication date
2017/8/30
Journal
bmj
Volume
358
Publisher
British Medical Journal Publishing Group
Description
Objective To determine whether educational attainment is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.
Design Mendelian randomisation study, using genetic data as proxies for education to minimise confounding.
Setting The main analysis used genetic data from two large consortia (CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), comprising 112 studies from predominantly high income countries. Findings from mendelian randomisation analyses were then compared against results from traditional observational studies (164 170 participants). Finally, genetic data from six additional consortia were analysed to investigate whether longer education can causally alter the common cardiovascular risk factors.
Participants The main analysis was of 543 733 men and women (from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), predominantly of European origin.
Exposure A one standard deviation increase in the genetic …
Scholar articles
T Tillmann, J Vaucher, A Okbay, H Pikhart, A Peasey… - bmj, 2017