title: Modulation by age and gender of risk for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia associated with the apolipoprotein E-epsilon4 allele in Latin Americans: findings from the Maracaibo Aging Study.
abstract: An ongoing longitudinal study in Maracaibo, Venezuela, examined the interaction between apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD), evaluating age and gender as potential modifiers of risk. Overall, carriers of at least one epsilon4 allele were at higher risk for AD, not for VD; however, the risk was significant only for subjects older than 65, and it increased 10-fold in subjects older than 85. The risk of AD conferred by APOE-epsilon4, adjusted for age and stratified by gender, was significant only for women. No association was found between the epsilon-2 allele and AD or VD. The results support the notions that APOE-epsilon4 is relevant for late-onset, not early onset AD, and that age and gender act as modulators of this association.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biological Research and Cardiovascular Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zulia, Apdo. Postal 10.636, Maracaibo 4002-a, Venezuela.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pino-Ramírez
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Maestre
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E