Research Questions:
Are patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) at higher risk of developing Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) than non-IBD individuals?
Which circulating biomarkers mediate VTE risk in IBD patients?
Can these biomarkers be used to develop a clinically applicable VTE risk prediction scoring system for IBD patients?
Objectives:
To evaluate the association and causal relationship between IBD and VTE via epidemiological and Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses.
To identify circulating biomarkers associated with incident VTE risk in IBD patients.
To investigate the mediating role of these biomarkers in the IBD-VTE pathway.
To construct and validate a biomarker-based VTE risk scoring system using machine learning approaches, validated in an external UK Biobank non-White cohort.
Scientific Rationale:
IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involves systemic inflammation that elevates VTE risk through multiple pathways (e.g., cytokine-induced tissue factor expression, endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation). Despite this, specific circulating biomarkers linking IBD and VTE are poorly defined, and no tailored predictive tools exist. This study combines observational analyses, MR, biomarker profiling, and Random Survival Forest modeling to identify VTE biomarkers and develop a risk score with potential clinical utility.
Dissemination and AI Policy Compliance:
I plan to disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. I have read and understood the UK Biobank AI policy regarding data use and ethical requirements, and I will ensure full compliance throughout data processing, model training, and result dissemination. There is no plan to open-source related code or models. All data use and sharing will strictly adhere to UK Biobank’s privacy and usage restrictions.
