Causal relationship between recent feelings of depression and malignant lymphoma: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

[BACKGROUND] Recent feelings of depression may increase the risk of various health conditions. This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between recent feelings of depression and the risk of malignant lymphoma.

[METHODS] We conducted a two-sample Mendelian Randomization analysis utilizing publicly available Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) datasets. We identified genetic variants associated with recent feelings of depression as instrumental variables, which are used in our analysis to determine causal relationships. We employed multiple MR methods, including Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, and Weighted Median regression, to assess the causal effect of depression on malignant lymphoma. We conducted sensitivity analyses to assess the reliability of our findings, including tests for heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

[RESULTS] Our analysis revealed a significant causal association between recent feelings of depression and malignant lymphoma, with the IVW method indicating an odds ratio (OR) of 1.13 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.23; P = 0.006). The Weighted Median method corroborated this finding (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27; P = 0.018), while the MR-Egger analysis suggested no significant causal relationship (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.39; P = 0.175). Sensitivity analyses indicated no significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy, supporting the validity of our results.

[CONCLUSIONS] This study provides evidence that recent feelings of depression may serve as an important risk factor for malignant lymphoma, highlighting the potential role of genetic factors in this association. Future research should further explore the underlying biological mechanisms linking depression and lymphoma, as well as the implications for prevention and intervention strategies.