Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and cerebral stroke]

Our study is the type case-control realized at the Hospital of Constantine, discusses the relationship between polymorphism of apolipoprotein E and stroke. Methods: The determination of the polymorphism of apolipoprotein E was carried out by PCR- digestion (polymerase chain reaction) using the enzyme of restriction HhaI. The study population consisted of 218 Algerian patients with stroke (divided into 63% ischemic and 37% hemorrhagic), and 509 control subjects. Results: Three isoforms of apolipoprotein E have been identified. The allelic distribution of apo E in the general population showed a predominance of the allele epsilon 3 (84.3%) followed distantly by allele epsilon 4 (10.7%) and epsilon 2 (5%) respectively. epsilon 3/epsilon 4 genotype was significantly more represented among subjects with ischemic stroke (29.5%) compared with control subjects (18.8%). The odds ratio is 1.72 compared to carriers of the genotype epsilon 3/epsilon 3 (CI is 95% and p < 0.05). Conclusions: The distribution of allelic frequencies of apolipoprotein E in the population of Constantine is similar to that of Southern Europe. Our results imply a role of the genotype of apolipoprotein E (epsilon 4 allele) in the pathogenesis of stroke and are limited to the accidents of the ischemic type. The epsilon 2 allele does not appear to be implied in occurred of this affection; however, large additional studies are necessary to confirm this result.