SPD is distinguished by high frequency of several SNPs previously reported to be associated with disease in East Asian populations, including SNPs in the ADH4, ALDH2, BRAP and PANK4 genes which are associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer, metabolic effect of alcohol, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, respectively [40-43]. Here, PANK4 is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.