Significantly increased frequency of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele in elderly non-demented leprosy patients.
Apolipoprotein E (apo E) genotypes in 350 leprosy patients were examined and compared with those of 870 age-matched controls. The allelic frequencies of the apo E gene did not differ between demented patients with leprosy and controls. However, the frequency of apo E epsilon 4 allele was significantly higher in non-demented leprosy patients than in controls (P < 0.001). Of special interest is that the prevalence of E3/4 genotype in non-demented leprosy patients increased significantly with age, being 14.1%, 24.4%, and 28.3% in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, respectively (P < 0.05). These data suggest that apo E epsilon 4 is not a risk factor for senile dementia in elderly leprosy patients, and there exist factors to overcome the risk of apo E4 in leprosy patients.
Endoh
M
M
Division of Demyelinating Disease and Aging, National Institute of Neuroscience, Tokyo, Japan.
Ueki
A
A
Takahashi
K
K
Yamanaka
H
H
Izumi
S
S
Tabira
T
T
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001057:Apolipoproteins E