Table 2.

Non-parametric Linkage Analysis of Hypercholesterolemia of the Italian Families by Merlin software

Phenotype	Prevalence	Families	Z Score	Lod	P	Empirical P
Hypercholesterolemia	87.30%	84	2.12	1.24	0.008	0.007

Prevalence = phenotype prevalence among the family subjects studied; Families = families number analyzed; Z score = derived from the non-parametric linkage analysis by Merlin; Lod = Lod score derived from the non-parametric linkage analysis by Merlin; P = p-value; Empirical P = p-value derived from 1000 replicates by using the gene dropping method; Hypercholesterolemia defined by the presence of LDL ≥ 100 mg/dl in drug-naïve patients or by the presence of a diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia treated with a statin medication.