title: The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and apolipoprotein E genetic variants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical and epidemiological studies indicate that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has a strong genetic basis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles as a genetic risk factor in OSAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 73 patients (37 male) were included. All underwent full-night polysomnography and were evaluated for APOE alleles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 51 ± 12 years. Forty-two of the patients had OSAS. The APOE3 allele was found in 97.3% (71/73) of the study population. The most common APOE genotype was E3/E3 (55/73, 75.3%). Compared to the individuals with no APOE2 alleles (E3/E3, E3/E4), the individuals with at least one APOE2 allele (E2/E3, E2/E4) had a 9.37-fold greater OSAS risk (OR = 9.37, 95% CI 1.13-77.7, p = 0.019). The individuals with APOE2 alleles (E2/E3, E2/E4) compared to the individuals with only an E3/E3 allele genotype had a 10-fold greater OSAS risk (OR = 10.3, 95% CI 1.24-86.61, p = 0.0308). Compared to the individuals with no APOE4 alleles (E2/E3, E3/E3), the individuals with APOE4 alleles (E2/E4, E3/E4) had a high but insignificant risk for OSAS (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 0.55-15.05, p = 0.286). The individuals with APOE4 alleles (E2/E4, E3/E4) compared to APOE3 alleles (E3/E3) had an increased but insignificant risk for OSAS (OR = 3.62, 95% CI 0.96-19.05, p = 0.127).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific APOE genotypes are associated with OSAS in a high-risk population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Akhisar State Hospital, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uyrum
authors.forename: Oner
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balbay
authors.forename: Ali Nihat
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Annakkaya
authors.forename: Ege
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulec Balbay
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silan
authors.forename: Peri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arbak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004247:DNA