Hypertension and Constipation Risk: Mendelian Study

Individuals with hypertension may have a higher chance of experiencing constipation and vice versa; suggesting hypertension may increase the risk of constipation.

This retrospective Mendelian randomization analysis investigated the potential causal relationship between constipation and hypertension.

A two-sample two-way Mendelian randomization analysis was performed. Genetic markers associated with constipation were sourced from a genome-wide association study encompassing individuals of European descent, consisting of 15,902 cases and 395,721 controls. 

Similarly, genetic associations related to hypertension were obtained from a GWAS dataset of European ancestry, comprising 54,358 cases and 408,652 controls.

The genetic predisposition to hypertension was considerably related to a raised risk of constipation (OR: 3.459, 95% CI: 1.820–6.573, P < .001). However, in an inverse Mendelian randomization analysis, the causal effect of constipation on hypertension was observed (OR: 0.999, 95% CI: 0.987–1.011, P = .834). These associations remained consistent in sensitivity analyses, without evidence of multiple effects.

This study indicates a causal connection between hypertension and constipation.