Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
To evaluate the possible causality between Alzheimer disease (AD) and delirium, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method and gene colocalization strategy were employed. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data accessible to the public were utilized. The preliminary findings revealed a causal link between AD (21,982 cases and 41,944 controls) and delirium (comprising 1269 cases and 209,487 controls). By performing MR estimates on an expanded sample, which included AD (90,338 cases and 1036,225 controls) as well as delirium (1269 cases and 209,487 controls), the subsequent analysis confirmed the results. The approaches utilized comprised Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. To evaluate heterogeneity, Cochran Q test was employed, while the MR-Egger intercept and MR-PRESSO tests assessed pleiotropy. Sensitivity was evaluated via leave-one-out analysis. Colocalization results revealed shared genetic loci. The analysis using MR indicated a notable causal influence of AD on delirium occurrence (initial: OR = 1.319, 95% CI: 1.175-1.481, P 0.8), identifying NECTIN2 and TOMM40 as potential mediators. No evidence of reverse causality was identified linking delirium to AD. AD poses a risk for delirium, probably mediated by shared genetic variants NECTIN2 and TOMM40 that impact acetylcholine pathways. These findings highlight potential preventive targets for delirium in Alzheimer patients.
Key findings
- The preliminary findings revealed a causal link between AD (21,982 cases and 41,944 controls) and delirium (comprising 1269 cases and 209,487 controls).
- By performing MR estimates on an expanded sample, which included AD (90,338 cases and 1036,225 controls) as well as delirium (1269 cases and 209,487 controls), the subsequent analysis confirmed the results.
- Colocalization results revealed shared genetic loci.
- These findings highlight potential preventive targets for delirium in Alzheimer patients.
Why it matters
Mendelian randomization indicated a causal influence of Alzheimer's disease on delirium occurrence, with shared genetic loci NECTIN2 and TOMM40 as potential mediators. No evidence of reverse causality was identified, highlighting potential preventive targets for delirium in Alzheimer's patients.
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Study details
- Effect sizeOR = 1.319
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Medicine: journal h-index 285 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Huijuan Ma holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Liverpool: institution h-index 995 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41630310) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 36 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Guo, G., Ding, H., Wang, Y., Fang, P., Wang, X., Qian, R., et al. (2026). Causality between Alzheimer disease and delirium: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study and gene colocalization analyses. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000047492
Vancouver
Guo G, Ding H, Wang Y, Fang P, Wang X, Qian R, et al. Causality between Alzheimer disease and delirium: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study and gene colocalization analyses. Medicine. 2026. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000047492. PMID: 41630310.
BibTeX
@article{guo2026-41630310,
author = {Guo, GuoDong and Ding, Hao and Wang, Yang and Fang, Peng and Wang, Xin and Qian, Runyang and Ma, Huijuan},
title = {{Causality between Alzheimer disease and delirium: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study and gene colocalization analyses}},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000047492},
pmid = {41630310},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000047492}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.