Meta-analysis involving the 12 replication datasets was performed using PLINK.27 Beta values for the genetic factors obtained from Multivariable Model Sets 1 and 2 stratified by ancestry were meta-analyzed using weighting by standard errors. Although examination of the Cochran’s Q statistic suggested no heterogeneity across studies for the genetic factors in the meta-analyses (p>0.1), except rs16969968 in European Americans (p=0.02), to be consistent, all reported meta-analysis results are from random effects models. An ancestry specific study was included in the meta-analysis of the individual low frequency variants, if the minor allele of that variant occurred in at least 5 subjects in the population. This cut-off was used because random effects meta-analyses may be unstable or undefined for very rare events.
