Fourteen SNPs demonstrate significantly different odds ratios in EAs versus AAs (Table 2 and Supplementary Table 2, last column), including rs578776, which represents the “protective” finding in EAs. All other SNPs displaying significant heterogeneity are at least moderately correlated with rs578776 in EAs (r2 ranges from 0.39 to 0.76) and are nominally associated (p < 0.05) in EAs with OR < 1. The correlation is sharply reduced in AAs (r2 from 0.001 to 0.40). This difference in LD may explain the lack of association for these SNPs in AAs and suggests that the functional variant driving the signal is in LD with these SNPs in EAs.
