[The absence of a relation between apolipoprotein E genotypes and the severity of multiple sclerosis in Mexican patients].
BACKGROUND
The clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS) varies widely. The natural history of the disease has shown that approximately 50% of patients that begin with a relapsing-remitting clinical course will have a progressive course about 10 years after disease onset and will need some kind of aid to walk. The expression of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) increases in nerve tissue undergoing regeneration and the ApoE epsilon-4 allele is associated with abnormal neural repair. Several different reports indicate that the ApoE epsilon-4 allele is associated with a greater progression of disability in patients with MS, although this is still a matter of debate.


METHODS
We analyse the clinical characteristics of 99 patients diagnosed with MS, we describe the correlation between the presence or absence of the ApoE epsilon-4 allele and the age of onset, clinical subtype, progression of the disease, score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale and the relapse rate. We explore the impact of the presence of the epsilon-2 allele on the progress of the disease.


RESULTS
In patients under 21 years of age, we observed a higher frequency of the presence of the epsilon-4 allele (p = 0.057). Nevertheless, no association was found between any of the ApoE alleles and the indices of disease progression.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not suggest any association between the presence of the ApoE epsilon-4 allele and the progression of disability in patients with MS in our sample.
Corona
Teresa
T
Laboratorio Clínico de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía. México DF, México. coronav@servidor.unam.mx
Guerrero-Camacho
Jorge L
JL
Alonso-Vilatela
M Elisa
ME
Flores-Rivera
José de Jesús
Jde J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E