Apolipoprotein E genotype, lipid levels and coronary heart disease in a Polish population group

Genotype of apolipoprotein E has been identified in a group of randomly selected Polish subjects participating in a cross-sectional study performed within the POL-MONICA Program, the part of international study WHO-MONICA Project. The investigated group consisted of 170 persons, 92 males and 78 females aged 41–69 years (mean age 62.0 ± 5.11). The observed frequency of apolipoprotein E alleles was: ε2 – 7.6%, ε3 – 81.8% and ε4 – 10.6%, which was similar to frequencies in the neighbouring European countries. Statistically significant lower means of total cholesterol (TC) and of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in ε2 carriers and higher means of TC, of LDL-C and of triglycerides in ε4 carriers were observed as compared with noncarriers of respective alleles. Some nonlipid cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension (HT) and obesity) and coronary heart disease (CHD) showed a tendency to lower prevalence in the ε2 allele carriers as compared to noncarriers. In the ε4 allele carriers a tendency to higher prevalence of HT, but not of CHD was observed as compared to noncarriers of this allele.