Figure 1.

Collider bias in CKD studies. Causal effects of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and cardiovascular disease on CKD (red arrows) could result in collider bias on the effect estimate of CHIP on cardiovascular disease (blue arrow) if participants are stratified by the presence of CKD. However, multiple direct and indirect bidirectional causal relationships make modeling collider bias impractical in CKD, and the effect estimate is still useful for prediction and risk stratification in patients with CKD.