The relationship between apolipoprotein E polymorphism, lipoprotein (a) and fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
The apolipoprotein E (apo E) gene is known to affect plasma lipoprotein-lipid levels, and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is an atherogenic lipoprotein that is negatively correlated with triglyceride level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the apo E genotype, plasma Lp(a) level, and fatty liver.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed on 711 subjects who were diagnosed as having fatty liver by ultrasonography and on 711 sex- and age-matched control subjects. Apo E genotype, plasma Lp(a) concentrations, and serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol were measured.


RESULTS
Fatty liver subjects were found to have significantly higher triglyceride, and lower HDL-cholesterol levels. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratios for fatty liver were 2.254 (95% CI 1.697-2.993) for hypertriglyceridemia, 1.841 (95% CI 1.449-2.339) for a high LDL-cholesterol level, 1.509 (95% CI 1.112-2.046) for a low HDL-cholesterol level, and 0.364 (95% CI 0.194-0.684) for a high HDL-cholesterol level. The odds ratios of epsilon4 and a high plasma Lp(a) level for fatty liver were 0.631 (95% CI 0.468-0.850) and 0.607 (95% CI 0.470-0.784) respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the epsilon4 allele of apo E and plasma Lp(a) concentration may be associated with the pathogenesis of fatty liver.
Yang
Moon Hee
MH
Center for Health Promotion, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Son
Hee Jung
HJ
Sung
Ji Dong
JD
Choi
Yoon Ho
YH
Koh
Kwang Cheol
KC
Yoo
Byung Chul
BC
Paik
Seung Woon
SW
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D005819:Genetic Markers; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)