ALMS1 and Alstrom syndrome: Some of the genes affected by the identified eQTLs (Additional file 3) are previously associated with the performance of the vascular system, for instance, expression of Fibrinogen-like protein 2 coding gene (FGL2) in endothelial cells has been previously linked to microthrombosis and cardiac impairment in rats with T2DM [47], and Alstrom Syndrome Protein 1 coding gene (ALMS1) is associated with Alström syndrome and characteristic dilated cardiomyopathy [48].