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).
Results
After covariate adjustment (age, education, smoking, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose, total: high-density lipoprotein), apoE genotype (no ∊4 versus any ∊4) predicted mean (β = −0.139, P=0.023) and maximum (β = −0.138, P=0.028) intima-medial thickness, as well as plaque (β = −0.744; P = 0.072). Tests of a genotype-x-smoking interaction were non-significant.
Conclusions
Mean intima-medial thickness was greater in men with the 3/3 than ∊4 genotypes (2/4 3/4 4/4), suggesting genetic risk for carotid atherosclerosis may be conferred by the ∊3, rather than the ∊4, allele.
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