APOE-epsilon4 is associated with weight loss in women with AD: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the APOE-epsilon4 allele is associated with weight loss in patients with AD or in nondemented elderly subjects.


BACKGROUND
Weight loss has been considered a typical feature of AD. APOE-epsilon4 is a risk factor for AD and was recently proposed to be associated with weight loss in elderly women. It is not known whether APOE-epsilon4 is associated with weight loss in patients with AD or in the general population.


METHODS
Weight and BMI measurements at an average interval of 3.5 years and APOE phenotype determination were performed in an elderly population (n = 980), including 46 patients with AD and 911 control subjects at the end of the follow-up.


RESULTS
On average, patients with AD with the epsilon4 allele lost 1.9 +/- 4.0 kg (BMI 0.8 +/- 1.8 kg/m2) whereas epsilon4 noncarriers gained 1.2 +/- 3.8 kg (BMI 0.4 +/- 1.5 kg/m2) (both p < 0.05), after controlling for diabetes and exercise. However, when men and women were analyzed separately, weight loss was observed only in those women with AD with the epsilon4 allele. Clinically significant weight loss, defined as loss of > or = 5% of body weight, occurred more frequently in both patients with AD (30% versus 6%; p < 0.05) and control subjects (28% versus 18%; p < 0.001) carrying the epsilon4 allele.


CONCLUSIONS
The APOE-epsilon4 allele may contribute to the unexplained weight loss in AD, especially in women.
Vanhanen
M
M
Department of Neurology of the Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. matti.vanhanen@kuh.fi
Kivipelto
M
M
Koivisto
K
K
Kuusisto
J
J
Mykkänen
L
L
Helkala
E L
EL
Hänninen
T
T
Kervinen
K
K
Kesäniemi
Y A
YA
Laakso
M P
MP
Soininen
H
H
Laakso
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011897:Random Allocation; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E