We previously performed GWASs of clinically defined gout cases in the Japanese population and found loci including ABCG2, SLC2A9, ALDH2 (CUX2), GCKR and SHLD2/FAM35A to be associated with gout at a genome-wide significant level.6 7 While our previous study was performed with broader subtypes, it is one of the unique points of this study that the present GWAS is the first to be conducted with four differentiated subtypes: the RUE type, ROL type, combined type and normal type gout (figure 1), which are commonly used in daily clinical settings. This evidence concerns the gene SHLD2 and gout.