Whereas APOL1 contributes to risk for nephropathy in an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, HbS reportedly had a dominant effect on risk, with SCT being associated with ESRD.6 In line with this finding, a few small studies on African Americans reported HbS as an independent risk factor for CKD and ESRD.8 However, other studies using a large sample of African Americans stated that SCT was not independently associated with susceptibility to ESRD in African Americans,6 highlighting the need for further studies in other populations such as those of sub-Saharan Africa where SCT is prevalent. The gene discussed is APOL1; the disease is kidney disorder.