Three of the five loci were independently confirmed in a GWAS in another population: CD40 and AHANK2 loci were significant in a recent SSc GWAS meta-analysis that included the Japanese population,47 and the CSNK2A2/CCDC113 locus was significant in a PBC GWAS from the Chinese population.48 Moreover, we found that the lead SNP in the CD40, AHNAK2, and CAST/ERAP1 loci was associated with other autoimmune disorders in PheWAS. This evidence concerns the gene CAST and autoimmune disease.