Case-Control Association Testing for X-chromosome SNPs in Samples Containing Related Individuals

Previously, McPeek and Thornton (2007) developed the MQLS test used to perform a case-control test of association between an autosomal marker and a binary trait in a sample of related individuals [4]. We extend the MQLS test to markers on the X chromosome. In collaboration with the Ober lab, we apply the extended test to analyze five traits in the Hutterite population. The five traits are: type II diabetes or pre-diabetes, type II diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and metabolic syndrome. Several potentially interesting associations of these traits with X-chromosome SNPs are obtained.