Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and preclinical carotid artery disease in untreated hypertensive men

The apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism was evaluated alone, and in interaction with smoking status, in predicting carotid intima-medial thickness and plaque among 182 untreated, hypertensive, white men (mean age 56+/-8.9 years).

After covariate adjustment (age, education, smoking, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose, total : high-density lipoprotein), apoE genotype (no [epsilon]4 versus any [epsilon]4) predicted mean ([beta]=-0.139, P=0.023) and maximum ([beta]=-0.138, P=0.028) intima-medial thickness, as well as plaque ([beta]=-0.744; P=0.072). Tests of a genotype-x-smoking interaction were non-significant.

Mean intima-medial thickness was greater in men with the 3/3 than [epsilon]4 genotypes (2/4 3/4 4/4), suggesting genetic risk for carotid atherosclerosis may be conferred by the [epsilon]3, rather than the [epsilon]4, allele.