To test the clinical relevance of our findings, we asked whether genetic variants at the GATA5 gene would reveal a nominal association with hypertension (defined as prescription of anti-hypertensive medication) in two large independent clinical data sets, the ADVANCE (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Peterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation) GWAS sub-study (n=2391) and the Ottawa Heart Genomics Study, OHGS (n=5835). Here, GATA5 is linked to diabetes mellitus.