震驚! 研究顯示高個子更容易患上靜脈曲張!大綱

In what researchers are calling "the largest genetic study ever performed" on varicose vein disease, a Stanford University School of Medicine study found a person's height to be a significant risk factor for developing varicose veins.

在一項被稱爲關於靜脈曲張的“史上最大規模基因研究”中，斯坦福大學醫學院發現，身高是引起靜脈曲張的一個重要危險因素。

We not only found an association between height and varicose veins, but the genetic studies we did showed a causal link, said cardiologist and study author Dr. Nicholas Leeper, an associate professor of surgery and cardiovascular medicine at Stanford.

心臟病學家兼該研究的作者、斯坦福大學外科和心血管醫學副教授尼古拉斯·利珀博士表示：“我們不僅發現了身高和靜脈曲張之間的聯繫，而且我們所做的基因研究也顯示出了因果關係。”

"That suggests that the genes and pathways that drive human height are also likely to be causing varicose veins."

“這表明，驅動人類身高的基因和途徑也可能導致靜脈曲張。”

Swollen, twisty purple veins that often look like tree branches just under the surface of the skin, varicose veins can cause aching pain, throbbing and discomfort.

腫脹、彎曲的紫色靜脈，通常看起來像皮膚表面下的樹枝，靜脈曲張會引起疼痛、悸動和不適。

Using data from the UK Biobank, a genetic repository of 502,619 people ages 40 to 69, the Stanford researchers identified 30 genetic regions associated with varicose veins.

斯坦福大學的研究人員通過運用英國生物庫的數據，也就是年齡在40到69歲之間的502619人的遺傳數據，發現了30個與靜脈曲張有關的基因區域。

Then they used an artificial intelligence machine model to look for any previously unknown risk factors.

然後他們使用人工智能機器模型來尋找之前還未知的風險因素。

Out of 2,716 predictors of varicose veins, the machine model confirmed many currently established risk factors: age, family history, gender, weight, pregnancy, smoking, hormone therapy and a history of deep vein thrombosis or surgery on the legs.

在2716個靜脈曲張的預測因子中，機器模型證實了許多目前已確認的危險因素：年齡、家族史、性別、體重、懷孕、吸菸、激素治療以及腿部深靜脈血栓或手術史。

But, Leeper said, the connection to height was surprising.

但是，利珀博士稱，身高因素也在其中確實令人感到驚訝。

To verify that finding, researchers used a statistical technique known as Mendelian randomization to see whether height was an actual cause. Sure enough, the analysis showed that it was.

爲了驗證這一發現，研究人員使用了一種被稱爲孟德爾隨機取樣的統計技術，以確定身高是否是患上靜脈曲張的真正因素。果不其然，分析表明確實如此。

"A handful of studies from 20 or 30 years ago hinted at a link," Leeper said. "We don't understand it. Perhaps taller people are affected by gravity, or there could be something in the vessel wall itself. What is happening, we just don't know."

利珀博士表示：“二三十年前的一些研究暗示了一種聯繫。我們不明白。也許更高的人更容易受到重力的影響，或者在他們的血管壁裏本身就可能有一些東西。到底發生了什麼，我們還不得而知。”