Sensitivity analysis
In UVMR analyses, in the causality of MA in relation to EA, AFS, and
AFB, heterogeneity was found in the results of the Cochran Q-test.
However, the results analysed by IVW MR along with the complementary
methods: simple mode, weighted mode and weighted median, apart from
MR–Egger, showed that EA, AFS, AFB all had statistically significant
causal relationship with MA, which suggested that these associations
were robust and plausible. Uncertainty existed about the causal
relationship between CP and MA, as the results of this analysis were not
confirmed by all complementary methods. The MR Egger intercepts indicate
directional pleiotropy. In the MVMR analyses, using the primary method
IVW and the complementary method Egger, the consistency of the results
of both can confirm the inference of causality. In addition, there was
no significant evidence for a nonzero intercept of multivariable MR
Egger regression, which also supports the reliability of the results for
multivariable MR analyses.