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Georgiou AN, Zagkos L, Markozannes G, Chalitsios CV, Asimakopoulos AG, Xu W, Wang L, Mesa‐Eguiagaray I, Zhou X, Loizidou EM, Kretsavos N, Theodoratou E, Gill D, Burgess S, Evangelou E, Tsilidis KK, Tzoulaki I. Appraising the Causal Role of Risk Factors in Coronary Artery Disease and Stroke: A Systematic Review of Mendelian Randomization Studies. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e029040. [PMID: 37804188 PMCID: PMC7615320 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.029040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a powerful approach to study potential causal associations between exposures and health outcomes by using genetic variants associated with an exposure as instrumental variables. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarize previous MR studies and to evaluate the evidence for causality for a broad range of exposures in relation to coronary artery disease and stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS MR studies investigating the association of any genetically predicted exposure with coronary artery disease or stroke were identified. Studies were classified into 4 categories built on the significance of the main MR analysis results and its concordance with sensitivity analyses, namely, robust, probable, suggestive, and insufficient. Studies reporting associations that did not perform any sensitivity analysis were classified as nonevaluable. We identified 2725 associations eligible for evaluation, examining 535 distinct exposures. Of them, 141 were classified as robust, 353 as probable, 110 as suggestive, and 926 had insufficient evidence. The most robust associations were observed for anthropometric traits, lipids, and lipoproteins and type 2 diabetes with coronary artery; disease and clinical measurements with coronary artery disease and stroke; and thrombotic factors with stroke. CONCLUSIONS Despite the large number of studies that have been conducted, only a limited number of associations were supported by robust evidence. Approximately half of the studies reporting associations presented an MR sensitivity analysis along with the main analysis that further supported the causality of associations. Future research should focus on more thorough assessments of sensitivity MR analyses and further assessments of mediation effects or nonlinearity of associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea N. Georgiou
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
| | - Loukas Zagkos
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Georgios Markozannes
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Christos V. Chalitsios
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
| | | | - Wei Xu
- Centre for Global Health, Usher InstituteThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Centre for Global Health, Usher InstituteThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | - Xuan Zhou
- Centre for Global Health, Usher InstituteThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Eleni M. Loizidou
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
- Biobank Cyprus Center of Excellence in Biobanking and Biomedical ResearchUniversity of CyprusNicosiaCyprus
| | - Nikolaos Kretsavos
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
| | - Evropi Theodoratou
- Centre for Global Health, Usher InstituteThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and CancerThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Evangelos Evangelou
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Biomedical Research, Institute of Molecular Biology and BiotechnologyFoundation for Research and Technology‐HellasIoanninaGreece
| | - Konstantinos K. Tsilidis
- Department of Hygiene and EpidemiologyUniversity of Ioannina School of MedicineIoanninaGreece
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Ioanna Tzoulaki
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSchool of Public Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Centre for Systems Biology, Biomedical Research FoundationAcademy of AthensAthensGreece
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Shivakumar S, Wilken MB, Tsao V, Bitarello BD, Thom CS. Genetically influenced tobacco and alcohol use behaviors impact erythroid trait variation. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.01.23289329. [PMID: 37205362 PMCID: PMC10187333 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.01.23289329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have associated thousands of loci with quantitative human blood trait variation. Blood trait associated loci and related genes may regulate blood cell-intrinsic biological processes, or alternatively impact blood cell development and function via systemic factors and disease processes. Clinical observations linking behaviors like tobacco or alcohol use with altered blood traits can be subject to bias, and these trait relationships have not been systematically explored at the genetic level. Using a Mendelian randomization (MR) framework, we confirmed causal effects of smoking and drinking that were largely confined to the erythroid lineage. Using multivariable MR and causal mediation analyses, we confirmed that an increased genetic predisposition to smoke tobacco was associated with increased alcohol intake, indirectly decreasing red blood cell count and related erythroid traits. These findings demonstrate a novel role for genetically influenced behaviors in determining human blood traits, revealing opportunities to dissect related pathways and mechanisms that influence hematopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shriya Shivakumar
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA
| | - Madison B Wilken
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Victor Tsao
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Christopher S Thom
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
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Chen S, Yang F, Xu T, Wang Y, Zhang K, Fu G, Zhang W. Smoking and coronary artery disease risk in patients with diabetes: A Mendelian randomization study. Front Immunol 2023; 14:891947. [PMID: 36776880 PMCID: PMC9910331 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.891947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous observational studies have shown an association between smoking and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with diabetes. Whether this association reflects causality remains unestablished. This study aimed to explore the causal effect of smoking on CAD in patients with diabetes. Methods Genetic signatures for smoking were extracted from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS), consisted of up to 1.2 million participants. Four smoking phenotypes were included: smoking initiation, cigarettes per day, age at initiation of regular smoking, and smoking cessation. Genetic associations with CAD in patients with diabetes were extracted from another GWAS, which included 15,666 participants (3,968 CAD cases and 11,696 controls). The analyses were performed using the univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Results MR analysis revealed that smoking initiation was positively related to CAD risk in patients with diabetes (OR = 1.322, 95% CI = 1.114 - 1.568, P = 0.001), but this association was attenuated when adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors (OR = 1.212, 95% CI = 1.008 - 1.457, P = 0.041). Age at initiation of regular smoking was negatively related to CAD in patients with diabetes (OR = 0.214, 95% CI = 0.070 - 0.656, P = 0.007), but this association became insignificant when adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions This study supported the effect of smoking initiation on the risk of CAD in patients with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songzan Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangkun Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Tian Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaijie Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guosheng Fu
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenbin Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Wenbin Zhang,
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Ding Z, Ritchie MD, Voight BF, Hwang WT. Estimating the effect size of a hidden causal factor between SNPs and a continuous trait: a mediation model approach. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:420. [PMID: 36229773 PMCID: PMC9559019 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04977-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observational studies and Mendelian randomization experiments have been used to identify many causal factors for complex traits in humans. Given a set of causal factors, it is important to understand the extent to which these causal factors explain some, all, or none of the genetic heritability, as measured by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with the trait. Using the mediation model framework with SNPs as the exposure, a trait of interest as the outcome, and the known causal factors as the mediators, we hypothesize that any unexplained association between the SNPs and the outcome trait is mediated by an additional unobserved, hidden causal factor. RESULTS We propose a method to infer the effect size of this hidden mediating causal factor on the outcome trait by utilizing the estimated associations between a continuous outcome trait, the known causal factors, and the SNPs. The proposed method consists of three steps and, in the end, implements Markov chain Monte Carlo to obtain a posterior distribution for the effect size of the hidden mediator. We evaluate our proposed method via extensive simulations and show that when model assumptions hold, our method estimates the effect size of the hidden mediator well and controls type I error rate if the hidden mediator does not exist. In addition, we apply the method to the UK Biobank data and estimate parameters for a potential hidden mediator for waist-hip ratio beyond body mass index (BMI), and find that the hidden mediator has a large effect size relatively to the effect size of the known mediator BMI. CONCLUSIONS We develop a framework to infer the effect of potential, hidden mediators influencing complex traits. This framework can be used to place boundaries on unexplained risk factors contributing to complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoran Ding
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marylyn D Ritchie
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Institude for Biomedical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin F Voight
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Institude for Biomedical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Wei-Ting Hwang
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Liu H, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Wang L, Wang T, Han Z, Wu L, Liu G. Effect of plasma vitamin C levels on Parkinson's disease and age at onset: a Mendelian randomization study. J Transl Med 2021; 19:221. [PMID: 34030714 PMCID: PMC8142636 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02892-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Until now, epidemiological evidence regarding the association between vitamin C intake (both diet and supplements) and Parkinson's disease (PD) remains inconsistent. Hence, it is necessary to establish the causal link between vitamin C levels and PD, and further develop effective therapies or prevention. METHODS We selected 11 newly identified plasma vitamin C genetic variants from a large-scale plasma vitamin C GWAS dataset (n = 52,018) as the effective instrumental variables, and extracted their corresponding GWAS summary statistics from PD (33,674 PD cases and 449,056 controls) and PD age at onset (AAO) (n = 28,568). We then performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the causal association of plasma vitamin C levels with PD and PD AAO using inverse-variance weighted (IVW), the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO test. RESULTS We did not observe any significant association between genetically increased vitamin C levels and PD. Interestingly, we found a reduced trend of PD AAO (1.134 years) with 1 SD genetically increased vitamin C levels using IVW (beta = - 1.134, 95% CI: [- 2.515, 0.248], P = 0.108). Importantly, this trend was further successfully verified using both weighted median and MR-Egger. Each 1 SD genetically increased vitamin C levels could reduce PD AAO 1.75 and 2.592 years using weighted median (beta = - 1.750, 95% CI: [- 3.396, - 0.105], P = 0.037) and MR-Egger (beta = - 2.592, 95% CI: [- 4.623, - 0.560], P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the causal association between genetically increased plasma vitamin C levels and reduced PD AAO in people of European descent. Randomized controlled trials are required to clarify whether diet intake or supplement, or both could reduce the AAO of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijie Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China
| | - Haihua Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Longcai Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Zhifa Han
- School of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, THU-PKU Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Liyong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
| | - Guiyou Liu
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China. .,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China. .,Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxia Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. .,National Engineering Laboratory of Internet Medical Diagnosis and Treatment TechnologyXuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
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Levin MG, Klarin D, Assimes TL, Freiberg MS, Ingelsson E, Lynch J, Natarajan P, O’Donnell C, Rader DJ, Tsao PS, Chang KM, Voight BF, Damrauer SM. Genetics of Smoking and Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2034461. [PMID: 33464320 PMCID: PMC7816104 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.34461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Smoking is associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but the relative contribution to each subtype (coronary artery disease [CAD], peripheral artery disease [PAD], and large-artery stroke) remains less well understood. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between genetic liability to smoking and risk of CAD, PAD, and large-artery stroke. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Mendelian randomization study using summary statistics from genome-wide associations of smoking (UK Biobank; up to 462 690 individuals), CAD (Coronary Artery Disease Genome Wide Replication and Meta-analysis plus the Coronary Artery Disease Genetics Consortium; up to 60 801 cases, 123 504 controls), PAD (VA Million Veteran Program; up to 24 009 cases, 150 983 controls), and large-artery stroke (MEGASTROKE; up to 4373 cases, 406 111 controls). This study was conducted using summary statistic data from large, previously described cohorts. Review of those publications does not reveal the total recruitment dates for those cohorts. Data analyses were conducted from August 2019 to June 2020. EXPOSURES Genetic liability to smoking (as proxied by genetic variants associated with lifetime smoking index). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Risk (odds ratios [ORs]) of CAD, PAD, and large-artery stroke. RESULTS Genetic liability to smoking was associated with increased risk of PAD (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.78-2.56; P = 3.6 × 10-16), CAD (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.25-1.75; P = 4.4 × 10-6), and stroke (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02-1.92; P = .04). Genetic liability to smoking was associated with greater risk of PAD than risk of large-artery stroke (ratio of ORs, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.05-2.19; P = .02) or CAD (ratio of ORs, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12-1.84; P = .004). The association between genetic liability to smoking and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases remained independent from the effects of smoking on traditional cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this mendelian randomization analysis of data from large studies of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, genetic liability to smoking was a strong risk factor for CAD, PAD, and stroke, although the estimated association was strongest between smoking and PAD. The association between smoking and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Levin
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Derek Klarin
- Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville
| | - Themistocles L. Assimes
- Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Matthew S. Freiberg
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Erik Ingelsson
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Stanford Diabetes Research Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Now with GlaxoSmithKline, San Francisco, California
| | - Julie Lynch
- Edith Nourse VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts
- VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Pradeep Natarajan
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Daniel J. Rader
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Philip S. Tsao
- Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Kyong-Mi Chang
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Benjamin F. Voight
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Scott M. Damrauer
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
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