The possible causal relationship between COVID-19 and imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease: a Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: Observational studies have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase the burden of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). This study aims to explore the causal correlation between COVID-19 and the imaging markers of CSVD using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods.

Methods: Summary-level genome-wide association study (GWAS) statistics for COVID-19 susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity were utilized as proxies for exposure.