A multi-trait GWAS identifies novel genes influencing albuminuria

Albuminuria is common and is associated with increased risks of end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases, yet its underlying mechanism remains obscure. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for albuminuria did not consider gene pleiotropy and primarily focused on European ancestry populations. This study adopted a multi-trait analysis of GWAS (MTAG) approach to jointly analyze two vital kidney traits, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) to identify and prioritize the genes associated with UACR.