The relationship between DISH and hypertension (el Miedany et al., 2000; but see Kiss et al., 2002; Mader & Lavi, 2009; Utsinger, 1985), levels of growth hormone and insulin‐like growth factors (Denko & Malemud, 2006; Sencan et al., 2005), and cardiovascular conditions (Denko & Malemud, 2006; el Miedany et al., 2000; Mader et al., 2005; Westerveld et al., 2014) has also been explored although Miyazawa and Akiyama (2006) argued that the increased risk of stroke in DISH patients could also be related to increased uremia and diabetes or obesity, which are risk factors for stroke. This evidence concerns the gene GH1 and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.