Guidelines for performing Mendelian randomization investigations: update for summer 2023

TLDR

The paper offers updated guidelines for conducting and reporting Mendelian randomization studies, targeting practitioners, journal editors, and reviewers, with periodic revisions every 24 months. The guidelines comprise ten sections covering motivation, data sources, variant selection, harmonization, primary analysis, sensitivity methods, extensions, data presentation, and interpretation.

Abstract

<ns3:p>This paper provides guidelines for performing Mendelian randomization investigations. It is aimed at practitioners seeking to undertake analyses and write up their findings, and at journal editors and reviewers seeking to assess Mendelian randomization manuscripts. The guidelines are divided into ten sections: motivation and scope, data sources, choice of genetic variants, variant harmonization, primary analysis, supplementary and sensitivity analyses (one section on robust statistical methods and one on other approaches), extensions and additional analyses, data presentation, and interpretation. These guidelines will be updated based on feedback from the community and advances in the field. Updates will be made periodically as needed, and at least every 24 months.</ns3:p>