title: Prevalence of apolipoprotein E genotypes in ischaemic cerebrovascular disease in end-stage renal disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have demonstrated that atherosclerotic complications are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis. The allele epsilon 4 of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene has been associated with an increased risk for ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) in general populations in recent preliminary cross-sectional studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of our study was to prospectively investigate the risk of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease with respect to the presence of Apo epsilon 4 allele in 157 Chinese uraemic patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 2 year follow-up, the incidence of stroke was 6.4% and the cumulative occurrence of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease was 9.6%. Further analysis showed that the cumulative occurrence of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease was 5.6% in subjects with no ApoE epsilon 4 allele and 36.8% in those with one or two ApoE epsilon 4 alleles. Univariate analysis showed that the prevalence of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease was significantly higher in the subjects with ApoE epsilon 4 allele. The mean ApoA1 plasma concentrations was significantly lower in those with ApoE epsilon 4 allele. A stepwise regression analysis showed that the presence of stroke was significantly related to the ApoE epsilon 4 genotype (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ApoE epsilon 4 allele can be regarded as an important risk factor for ischaemic cerebrovascular disease in uraemic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins