Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele and outcomes of traumatic spinal cord injury in a Chinese Han population

The association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon 4 (ε4) allele and outcomes of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is still controversial and ambiguous. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that APOE polymorphisms are associated with outcomes after SCI in Chinese Han patients. APOE polymorphisms were determined in 100 patients with cervical SCI (C3–C8). The genotype frequency of this polymorphism was determined by using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Patients with an APOE ε4 allele had significantly less motor recovery during rehabilitation than did patients without an APOE ε4 allele (mean 3.7 vs. 6.1; P = 0.04) and a longer rehabilitation length of stay (LOS) (mean 117.4 vs. 94.5; P = 0.02), but better sensory-pinprick recovery (mean 6.1 vs. 4.0; P = 0.03). There were no significant differences by APOE ε4 allele status in sensory-light touch recovery or acute LOS. This study suggests that the APOE ε4 allele is associated with outcomes after SCI and longer rehabilitation LOS in Chinese Han patients.