Regarding lipid profile, Dr Jamie Gaida and colleagues reported that triglyceride level, triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and apolipoprotein B were elevated in patients with AT.34 Hypertension prevalence was found to be increased in females in the study by Holmes and Lin, suggesting a possible relationship between blood flow circulation to the Achilles tendon and AT.38 However, all of these factors should be studied in a longitudinal study design since it is not clear whether there is a cause–effect relationship. This evidence concerns the gene APOB and ataxia telangiectasia.