Apolipoprotein E ε4 is superior to apolipoprotein E ε2 in predicting cognitive scores over 30 months

Paul Regal, Balakrishnan Nair, Eileen Hetherington

Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare apolipoprotein E ε4 (Apo E ε4) and apolipoprotein E ε2 (Apo E ε2) as predictors of cognitive and functional trajectories over 30 months.
Methods: This prospective cohort study included 287 community-dwelling memory clinic patients with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, or no cognitive impairment. The Addenbrooke Cognitive Assessment, Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Delirium Index, and Nottingham Instrumental Activities of Daily Living tests were administered to each subject.
Results: One hundred and nine subjects (40%) carried Apo E ε4 and 48 (16.7%) carried Apo E ε2. One hundred and nine ε4-positive subjects differed significantly from 178 ε4-negative subjects in 19/52 comparisons (36.5%), whereas 46 Apo E ε2-positive subjects had 0/52 significant differences from 239 ε2-negative subjects (P < 0.0001). The variables most affected by ε4 were the Delirium Index and Mini-Mental State Examination. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living score and residence were unrelated to Apo E ε4 or ε2.
Conclusion: Apo E ε4 positivity predicted four cognitive scores measured every 6 months over 30 months. Apo E ε2 scores predicted none of 52 comparisons.

Keywords: apolipoprotein E genotype, dementia, mild cognitive impairment