We performed a whole-genome eQTL meta-analysis of 5,311 samples from peripheral blood, divided over a total of nine datasets from seven cohorts, including EGCUT14 (N = 891), InCHIANTI15 (N = 611), Rotterdam Study16 (N = 762), Fehrmann5 (N = 1,240 on the Illumina HT12v3 platform and N = 229 on the Illumina H8v2 platform), HVH17-19 (N = 43 on the Illumina HT12v3 platform and N = 63 on the Illumina HT12v4 platform) SHIP-TREND20 (N = 963), and DILGOM21 (N = 509). Gene expression data for each dataset was obtained using either PAXGene (Becton Dickinson) or Tempus tubes (Life Technologies), followed by hybridization to Illumina whole-genome Expression BeadChips (HT12v3, HT12v4 or H8v2 arrays). The gene expression platforms were harmonized by matching probe sequences across the different platforms. Mappings for these sequences were obtained by mapping the sequences against the human genome build 36 (Ensembl build 54, Hg18) using BLAT, BWA and SOAPv2 sequence alignment programs. Highly stringent alignment criteria were used to ensure that probes map unequivocally to one single genomic position. Genotype data was acquired using different genotyping platforms, and
