Evaluate the collective function of references cited together in a given text segment.
Classify their combined role into one of the following categories: 'method', 'background', or 'result'.

Text:Pathogenic genetic variants identified in potassium genes lead to a loss of function; this in turn gives rise to a decrease in the release of potassium, inducing the channels to remain open for longer and the QT interval to be prolonged due to a longer ventricular repolarization time.(32) Currently, several pathogenic genetic alterations have been reported in 6 different potassium
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