Mendelian randomization analysis

The MR-Egger (15), weighted median (WM) (16), and inverse variance weighted (IVW) (17) techniques were employed in this study to determine the cause-and-effect relationship between RA and hypothyroidism, with the IVW technique predominating. The IVW method is our primary statistical analysis technique, although it could be skewed if IVs display horizontal pleiotropy. Due to this, to examine the reliability of our findings and potential pleiotropy, we conducted sensitivity analyses using the weighted median and MR-Egger regression approaches. The weighted median technique produces unbiased causal estimation if more than 50% of the SNPs are invalid genetic instruments. The MR-Egger regression method is able to provide estimates that have pleiotropy corrections applied to them.