A genetic study led by Fuu-Jen Tsai of the China Medical University Hospital reports on Mar. 18 that taller individuals in East Asian populations face a higher risk of developing endometriosis and atrial fibrillation. The findings were published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
The research is significant because it sheds light on how genetic factors related to height may influence health risks, particularly among East Asian groups where such associations have not been widely studied.
Researchers conducted two genome-wide association studies using data from more than 120,000 Han Taiwanese participants. They identified 293 genetic variants associated with height and five linked to familial short stature, a condition where people are shorter due to inherited genetics. Further analysis with data from five East Asian biobanks allowed the team to estimate health risks connected to these genetic markers.
The study found that height was associated with overall body size, lung function, cardiovascular traits, and reproductive characteristics such as the age when menstruation begins. Taller individuals had an increased risk of endometriosis—a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus—and atrial fibrillation, which causes irregular heartbeats. Conversely, those with shorter stature were less likely to develop endometriosis.
The authors said: "By integrating genetic data across multiple East Asian biobanks, we show that the genetics of stature is linked not only to growth-related traits but also to clinically relevant outcomes-most notably atrial fibrillation and endometriosis. These results suggest that stature-related polygenic scores could help improve early risk stratification in East Asian populations."
The researchers conclude that while height can be considered a genetically informed risk factor for certain conditions in East Asians, further studies are needed before these findings can be applied clinically.
