Genome-Wide Association Study (Gwas) To Uncover Genetic Risk Factors Associated With Low Bone Mineral Density And Osteoporosis In Qatar Population

Osteoporosis is an increasingly prevalent, global health burden characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. Despite the serious consequences of osteoporosis and the significant impact it can have on human health, the majority of affected individuals are unaware of the disease because of its asymptomatic 'silent' nature. Understanding the genetic basis of the Osteoporosis is crucial to fully elucidate the etiology of the disease. Towards this goal, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a number of promising genetic variants that are associated with osteoporosis and low BMD. Here, we undertook a genomewide association study (GWAS) in 3000 healthy Qatari individuals from Qatar Biobank to identify risk genetic variants associated with low BMD in the Qatari population. 19 significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified to be associated with BMD (P