title: The Role of Ethnicity in Alzheimer's Disease: Findings From The C-PATH Online Data Repository.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethnic minorities seem to be at an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known about ethnic differences and the risks of early onset AD (EOAD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Cognitive function changes over time and odds of EOAD by ethnicity were analyzed by the mixed model and the logistic regression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on demographics, self-reported co-morbidities, cognitive functions (MMSE and ADAS-COG), and ApoE genotypes were collected for 6,500 subjects with AD obtained from the placebo arm of clinical trials; this data was examined by ethnicities: Caucasian, Asian, African American, Hispanic, and other minorities--including Native Alaskans, Americans, and Hawaiians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total subjects, Caucasians accounted for 89.0% , followed by 4.7% Asians, 2.7% African Americans, 2.4% Hispanics, and 1.2% Native Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians. Age, gender, EOAD status, co-morbidities, family history of AD, and ApoE genotypes were significantly different by ethnicity. ApoE ɛ2 allele is possibly overrepresented in the Native Americans, Africans, Hawaiians, and African Americans. A significant interaction with time, ethnicity, and cognitive performance was found, indicating more cognitive deterioration in other minorities than Caucasians for mini-mental state (p <  0.01). After adjusting for co-morbidities and gender, the odds of EOAD among African Americans (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.4) and Native Alaskans, Americans, and Hispanics (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2-3.5) were significantly higher, compared with Caucasians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethnicity may impact AD through age of onset, co-morbidities, family history, ApoE gene status, and cognitive change over time. The greater odds of EOAD among African Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians suggest that some ethnicities may be at risk of AD at a younger age.
authors.forename: Huei-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Panegyres
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000072957:Alaska Natives / Q000235:genetics; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000235:genetics; D020407:Internet; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander / Q000235:genetics; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; ApoE; early onset Alzheimer’s disease; early onset dementia; ethnicity