Study Finds No Causal Link Between Smoking and CKD

Several observational studies suggested an association between smoking behavior and an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether smoking directly contributes to CVD risk remains unconfirmed. To address this, a study has investigated the association using traditional observational and Mendelian randomization analyses, utilizing data from over 500,000 participants aged 40 to 69 years. The traditional observational analysis found a positive association between smoking (HR: 1.26) and lifetime smoking index (HR: 1.22) with an increased CKD risk.

In contrast, Mendelian randomization analysis demonstrated no causal link between lifetime smoking index and CKD. Furthermore, no association was observed between genetic variants related to smoking behavior and CKD. These findings suggest that smoking may not have a direct causal effect on CKD. Instead, the…