This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kolovou, G. D. Articles by Cokkinos, D. V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kolovou, G. D. Articles by Cokkinos, D. V. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Association of Apolipoprotein E Genotype with Early Onset of Coronary Heart Disease in Greek Men

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece, genkolovou{at}mail.gr

Katherine K. Anagnostopoulou, MSc

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis, MD

Department of Clinical Biochemistry (Vascular Disease Prevention Clinics), Royal Free Hospital, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK

Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, PhD

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

Nektarios D. Pilatis, MD

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece

Marios A. Cariolou, MSc, PhD

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus

Nikos Yiannakouris, PhD

Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

Dimitris Degiannis, MD, PhD

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece

Georgios Stavridis, MD

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece

Dennis V. Cokkinos, MD

Department of Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece

Apolipoprotein (apo) E polymorphism has been associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) although its relation to the age of CHD onset is still not defined. The age of onset of established CHD was obtained from 502 Greek men and compared to 103 healthy men. The age grouping was based on the age of CHD onset (earlier 44 years, n=73, intermediate 45-64 years, n=321, and later 65 years, n=108). Apo E genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the lipid profile was assessed. No differences in genotype and allele frequencies were found within the CHD groups. The apo 3/4 genotype and the apo 4 allele were less frequent in the earlier-onset group than in healthy men (11.0% vs 22.3%, Pearson Chi-Square p=0.028 and 6.8% vs 13.6%, Pearson Chi-Square p=0.023, respectively). The lipid profile was similar in all genotypes of all groups except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which were higher in 2 carriers compared to non-2 carriers (in mg/dL [±SD]; 44 [9] vs 39 [10], in mmol/L [±SD]; 1.1 [0.2] vs 1.0 [0.3] p=0.005). There is an association between apo E genotype and early onset of CHD in Greek men. In the earlier CHD onset group, the apo 3/4 genotype was less frequent compared to healthy men. This supports that the apo 3/4 genotype is associated with decreased risk of premature CHD. Because the results of similar studies are not consistent, it may be that the relationship between apo E genotype and CHD is related to ethnicity rather than a universal phenomenon.

Angiology, Vol. 56, No. 6, 663-670 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/000331970505600603


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?