Causal Effects of Inflammatory Proteins and Metabolites on Skin Soft Tissue Infections: Mendelian Randomization and Mediation Analysis

Introduction

The pathogenesis of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) remains incompletely understood, particularly regarding the causal relationships between circulating inflammatory proteins (CIPs), metabolites, and infection susceptibility. Mendelian randomization (MR) provides an approach to investigate potential causal associations while reducing confounding and reverse causation.