Genetic polymorphisms in older subjects with vascular or Alzheimer's dementia.
OBJECTIVE
Paraoxonase, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and apo E gene polymorphisms were evaluated in older patients with vascular dementia (VD) or late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD).


METHODS
Sixty patients with VD, 45 patients with LOAD, and 54 non-demented controls were compared.


RESULTS
No differences in the distribution of paraoxonase, ACE, and MTHFR polymorphisms were found. The overall frequency of apo E epsilon4 allele was "low"; epsilon4 allele was more frequent in LOAD (17.5%) and VD (13.3%) compared with controls (9.2%), but the difference was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Paraoxonase, ACE, and MTHFR polymorphisms were not associated with VD or LOAD; these common polymorphisms might have a marginal role in the pathogenesis of dementia in older subjects. In spite of a "low" frequency of the apo E epsilon4 allele in our sample, the frequency of epsilon4 allele was about double in LOAD compared with controls.
Zuliani
G
G
Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Long Term Division, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso, Geriatric Division, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
Ble'
A
A
Zanca
R
R
Munari
M R
MR
Zurlo
A
A
Vavalle
C
C
Atti
A R
AR
Fellin
R
R
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000235:genetics*; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000235:genetics; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D004950:Esterases; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A