KCNJ11 and atherosclerosis: Our findings show that several SNPs in the KCNJ11 and ABCC8 genes, both coding for subunits of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) that participates in insulin secretion [44], were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis (as shown by CCIMT values) and with the presence of atherosclerotic plaque in the CKD patients.