AUTHOR=Chen Yizhou , Zhang Xiahui , Liu Meifang , Zhang Yi , Li Song , Zhou Li , Yang Xiaolin , Chen Xu , Yue Mengqi , Qu Qi , Qiu Yong , Shi Jing 

TITLE=The association between basal metabolic rate and ischemic stroke: a Mendelian randomization study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1434740

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2025.1434740

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the potential impact of basal metabolic rate on ischemic stroke at the genetic prediction level through a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.MethodsUsing summary data from genome-wide association studies, we obtained information on basal metabolic rate and ischemic stroke from a large-scale genome-wide association study. MR analysis used inverse variance weighting, weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, and weighted estimation. Sensitivity analyses, including the MR-Egger method, MR-PRESSO, Cochran’s Q-test, and leave-one-out assessment, were performed to assess the reliability of the results.ResultsGenetic susceptibility to basal metabolic rate was significantly associated with ischemic stroke in multiple models, including the inverse variance weighting model (OR, 1.108 [95% CI: 1.005–1.221]; p = 0.0392), the weighted median method (OR, 1.179 [95% CI: 1.020–1.363]; p = 0.0263), and MR-Egger (OR, 1.291 [95% CI: 1.002–1.663]; p = 0.0491). These results indicate a positive causal relationship between basal metabolic rate and ischemic stroke. The MR-Egger intercept and Cochran’s Q-test indicated the absence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy in the analyses of basal metabolic rate and ischemic stroke.ConclusionThe MR analysis suggests a positive correlation between basal metabolic rate and ischemic stroke.