To explore the causal association between levels of male hormones and the incidence of perianal abscesses, this study employs Mendelian randomization analysis.

Utilizing data from genome-wide association studies, the study considers total testosterone levels in males and females, bioavailable testosterone levels, and sex hormone-binding globulin levels as exposure variables, with the incidence of perianal abscesses serving as the outcome variable. Various Mendelian randomization methods, including inverse-variance weighted, MR-Egger, and weighted median techniques, were applied, complemented by heterogeneity tests, sensitivity analyses, and assessments for pleiotropy.

Employing inverse-variance weighted analysis, bioavailable testosterone levels in males revealed an odds ratio of 1.0017, 95% CI:1.0003~1.0030. Heterogeneity tests indicated no outlier variables, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings, ruling out the presence of horizontal pleiotropy.

The study concludes that there is a causal relationship between bioavailable testosterone levels in males and the incidence of perianal abscesses; however, no such causality was observed for total testosterone levels in both genders, bioavailable testosterone levels in females, or sex hormone-binding globulin levels in either gender.