Relationships of Apolipoprotein E Genotypes with Vascular Risk Factors in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E-epsilon4 (APOE-epsilon4) is a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its relationship with vascular risk factors is still controversial. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 56 probable AD patients diagnosed by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorder's Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria. RESULTS: The frequencies of APOE-epsilon2, 3, and 4 were 6.3%, 69.6%, and 24.1% in patients with AD. Compared to the no APOE-epsilon4 group (n=35), the APOE-epsilon4 group (n=21) revealed a higher frequency of male gender with no difference in age, educational level, dementia onset age, severity of dementia (CDR and K-MMSE), the frequencies of vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia), and total cholesterol level. High density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level was 36+/- 8 in the APOE-epsilon4 group and 43+/-11 in the no APOE-epsilon4 group with statistical significance (Student's t-test, p=0.02). In adjusting for sex, the APOE-epsilon4 group still had a significantly lower HDL-cholesterol level than the no APOE-epsilon4 group (p=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there may be the genetic influence of APOE-epsilon4 on serum HDLcholesterol metabolism in AD patients.