Relationship between severity of coronary artery disease and apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the possible contribution of the apolipoprotein (apo) E polymorphisms to the extent and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) related to lipid metabolism.


METHODS
Overall, 53 Turkish patients, aged 54+/-11 years defined by coronary angiography were included in this cross-sectional study. Reardon's coronary artery scoring was used. Serum lipids were measured with enzymatic colorimetric methods. Apolipoproteins were measured with nephelometry. Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms were determined by the reverse hybridization method. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Chi- square tests.


RESULTS
The genotype frequencies were 7.5% for E2/E3, 77.4% for E3/E3 and 15.1% for E3/E4. The E2 allele frequency was slightly lower than E4 allele. There were no significant differences between apo E2/E3, E3/E3 and E3/E4 genotypes for severity scorings (26, 41 and 32 respectively, p=0.30) and extent scorings (3.2, 5.5, 4.5, p=0.17). It was found that the most of patients who had E2/3 and E3/4 alleles had low severity scores. On the other hand, there were no significant score difference for patients who had E3/3 alleles. Lipids were not significantly different among the different genotypes. The E3 allele was associated with high apo B levels compared with E2 and E4 genotypes. It was found that severity and extent of disease were not related with lipid metabolism.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that there were no statistically significant differences between genotypes for extent and severity scorings, but the apo E3 allele is associated with more severe disease than E2 allele. These associations with severity were mediated not only by changes in lipid metabolism but may be also by other mechanisms in CAD patients.
Arslan Ince
F Demet
FD
Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Aksaray State Hospital, Aksaray, Turkey. fatmademet.arslan@gmail.com
Atay
Ayşenur
A
Köseoğlu
Mehmet
M
Yeşil
Murat
M
Deveci
Erdal
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2 / Q000235:genetics*; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3 / Q000235:genetics*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018401:Sample Size; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E