Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2026, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (10): 1110-1114.doi: 10.11958/20260765

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Research progress of Mendelian randomization in investigating the etiology of constipation

WANG Yanlong1(), LIANG Lei2, LIU Shihong1, HE Decai1,△()   

  1. 1 Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Proctology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China
    2 Graduate School of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Received:2026-03-21 Revised:2026-04-16 Published:2026-10-15 Online:2026-10-10
  • Contact: △E-mail:hdc9706@sohu.com

Abstract:

Constipation is a common chronic functional or organic intestinal disease in clinical practice with significant heterogeneity in its etiology, and it has become an important factor contributing to the global disease burden. Traditional etiological studies are easily affected by confounding factors, reverse causality and clinical feasibility, making it difficult to accurately reveal the true causal relationship between risk factors and constipation. Mendelian randomization (MR), which uses genetic variations as instrumental variables, provides a new research idea for exploring the etiology of constipation. This article reviews the potential causal relationship between MR and constipation from aspects such as lifestyle, association with multiple system diseases, intestinal flora and circulating metabolites.

Key words: Mendelian randomization analysis, constipation, causality, genetic variation, gastrointestinal microbiome

CLC Number: