title: Apolipoprotein e gene and age-related maculopathy in older individuals: the cardiovascular health study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene and age-related maculopathy (ARM) in an older population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two thousand one hundred seventy persons 65 years and older sampled from 4 US communities had ARM signs assessed from retinal photographs using a modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. DNA extracted from blood samples was analyzed for common APOE alleles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for age, sex, cigarette smoking, and other factors, white participants carrying the epsilon2 allele had an increased risk of late ARM (odds ratio, 2.53 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-5.90]) while carriers of the epsilon4 allele had a lower risk of late ARM (odds ratio, 0.69 [95% confidence interval, 0.19-2.50]). There were too few late ARM cases in African American individuals for analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APOE polymorphism is associated with late ARM in older white persons 65 years and older. Consistent with previous studies, the APOE epsilon2 allele is associated with a significant increased risk of late ARM development, whereas the epsilon4 allele may confer some protection.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tikellis
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gorin
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Barbara E K
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Emily K Marino
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Siscovick
authors.forename: Larry D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Tien Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2 / Q000235:genetics*; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3 / Q000235:genetics*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4