Genetic risk for cannabis use disorder overlapped with genetic risk for severe COVID-19

The genetic correlation between CUD and COVID-19 hospitalization was 0.423 (p = 1.33 x 10^-6). This association remained significant after controlling for genetic liability to tobacco use, alcohol misuse, BMI, lung function, education, COPD, hypertension, diabetes, and other factors (b = 0.381-0.539). However, causal inference models found no evidence that CUD directly causes severe COVID.

Genomic analysis using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies of CUD (14,080 cases, 343,726 controls) and COVID-19 hospitalization (9,373 cases, 1,197,256 controls). Genetic correlation was estimated and adjusted for covariates using genomic structural equation modeling. Latent causal variable models tested for putative causation.

Finding shared genetic architecture between CUD and COVID-19 severity suggests overlapping biological pathways, potentially involving immune function or inflammation. This goes beyond behavioral risk factors like smoking to point toward deeper biological connections.

Shared genetic architecture does not mean one condition causes the other. The overlapping genetics between CUD vulnerability and COVID-19 severity may point to common biological mechanisms involving immune regulation or inflammatory response that future research could target.

Genetic correlation analyses cannot establish causation. GWAS data were from pre-pandemic CUD studies and early pandemic COVID-19 data. Cannot determine specific shared biological pathways. Results apply at population level, not individual prediction.