title: The APOE E4 Allele Confers Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke Among Greek Carriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although several studies in various countries have indicated that the presence of the E4 allele of the apolipoprotein-E (APOE) gene is a risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease, the strength of this association still remains a matter of debate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the APOE E4 allele and various other gene polymorphisms in in a well-characterized sample of Greek patients and to evaluate the potential associations with the risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and coronary heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of nine gene variants/polymorphisms - F5 (Leiden - R5 06Q, rs6025), F2 (20210G > A, rs1799963), F13A1 (V34L, rs5985), MTHFR (677C > T - A222V, rs1801133), MTHFR (1298A > C - E429A, rs1801131), FGB (-455G > A -c.-463G > A; rs1800790), SERPINE1 (PAI14G/5G - rs1799889), ACE (ACE I/D, rs1799752), ITGB3 (GPIIIa L33P, rs5918) and the APOE E2/E3/E4 alleles (rs7412, rs429358) - were genotyped in 200 newly diagnosed ischemic stroke (IS) patients, 165 patients with ischemic coronary heart disease (CHD) and 159 controls with no cerebroor cardiovascular disease (non-CVD). A statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant association was found regarding most gene polymorphisms and the presence of IS or CHD in the patient cohort. However, the APOE E4 allele frequency was significantly higher (p = 0.02) among patients with ischemic stroke (IS) or IS + CHD (12.7%) when compared to the controls (5.1%). More accurately, E4 carriers had 2.66 and 2.71 times greater likelihood of IS or IS + CHD than non-carriers, respectively (OR = 2.66, 95% CI 1.39-5.07, OR = 2.71, 95% CI 0.98-7.48).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to some previous studies, these results support the role of the APOE E4 allele as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and ischemic coronary heart disease among Greek patients.
authors.affiliation: InterGenetics, Diagnostic Genetics Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Konialis
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spengos
authors.affiliation: InterGenetics, Diagnostic Genetics Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iliopoulos
authors.affiliation: InterGenetics, Diagnostic Genetics Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karapanou
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gialafos
authors.affiliation: InterGenetics, Diagnostic Genetics Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hagnefelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, University of Athens, "Alexandra" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vemmos
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, University of Athens, "Alexandra" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zakopoulos
authors.affiliation: InterGenetics, Diagnostic Genetics Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pangalos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E
keywords: E4 allele; apolipoprotein E gene; gene polymorphisms; ischemic stroke