Indeed, in some reports, an independent association between the APOL1 risk variants and CVD risk is lost when modeled together with CKD.14,15 Other studies and meta-analyses found no association between the APOL1 risk variants and the risk of CVD.19,20,22–25 Thus, it remains unclear whether APOL1 genotype directly modifies the risk of CVD, independent of its renal effects. This evidence concerns the gene APOL1 and chronic kidney disease.