Zhou Yue, Song Li, Yin Xi, Zhu Wengen, Zeng Minzhi
Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.250 Changgang East Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, China.
Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.250 Changgang East Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, China.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2025 Jul;35(7):103856. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2025.103856. Epub 2025 Jan 3.
Diabetic microvascular complications pose significant health challenges for individuals. The influence of modifiable lifestyle factors, such as coffee intake, on these complications has not been conclusively determined, highlighting the need for a causality assessment.
Utilizing Mendelian randomization (MR), this study explored the causal links between coffee intake, plasma caffeine levels, and diabetic microvascular complications using data from FinnGen. Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with coffee intake and plasma caffeine levels were identified through genome-wide association study meta-analyses. The univariable MR analysis indicated a slightly increased risk for diabetic retinopathy (OR 1.006; 95 % CI: 1.002-1.010; P = 0.003) and a suggestively elevated risk for nephropathy (OR 1.011; 95 % CI: 1.001-1.022; P = 0.036) associated with genetically predicted higher coffee intake, while no significant effect on neuropathy was observed. Multivariable MR analysis, adjusted for smoking, revealed a significant protective effect of coffee intake on diabetic retinopathy (OR 0.895; 95 % CI: 0.856-0.936; P = 9.468 × 10) and a suggestive reduction in risk for diabetic nephropathy (OR 0.828; 95 % CI: 0.712-0.963; P = 0.014). Higher plasma caffeine levels were also suggestively protective against these complications.
Our findings suggest that genetically predicted higher coffee intake and plasma caffeine levels are protective for diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. Further research is necessary to substantiate these findings and to investigate their potential impact on diabetes management strategies.
糖尿病微血管并发症给个体带来了重大的健康挑战。可改变的生活方式因素（如咖啡摄入量）对这些并发症的影响尚未得到最终确定，这凸显了进行因果关系评估的必要性。
本研究利用孟德尔随机化（MR）方法，使用来自芬兰基因库（FinnGen）的数据，探讨了咖啡摄入量、血浆咖啡因水平与糖尿病微血管并发症之间的因果联系。通过全基因组关联研究荟萃分析确定了与咖啡摄入量和血浆咖啡因水平相关的单核苷酸多态性。单变量MR分析表明，基因预测的较高咖啡摄入量与糖尿病视网膜病变风险略有增加相关（比值比[OR]为1.006；95%置信区间[CI]：1.002 - 1.010；P = 0.003），与肾病风险有提示性升高相关（OR为1.011；95% CI：1.001 - 1.022；P = 0.036），而未观察到对神经病变有显著影响。在对吸烟进行校正的多变量MR分析中，咖啡摄入量对糖尿病视网膜病变有显著的保护作用（OR为0.895；95% CI：0.856 - 0.936；P = 9.468×10），对糖尿病肾病风险有提示性降低作用（OR为0.828；95% CI：0.712 - 0.963；P = 0.014）。较高的血浆咖啡因水平对这些并发症也有提示性保护作用。
我们的研究结果表明，基因预测的较高咖啡摄入量和血浆咖啡因水平对糖尿病视网膜病变和肾病具有保护作用。有必要进行进一步研究以证实这些发现，并调查它们对糖尿病管理策略的潜在影响。
