APOE ε4 and Its Effect on BMI and HDL Cholesterol
Author Information
Author(s): Catherine R Rahilly-Tierney, Donna K Arnett, Kari E North, James S Pankow, Steven C Hunt, R Curtis Ellison, J Michael Gaziano, Luc Djoussé
Primary Institution: Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology and Information Research Center (MAVERIC), Boston VA Healthcare
Hypothesis
Does APOE ε4 carrier status modify the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels?
Conclusion
The study found no interaction between APOE ε4 carrier status and BMI on HDL levels.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 1402 subjects with available APOE genotype data.
- HDL levels decreased significantly with increasing BMI in both ε4 carriers and non-carriers.
- The study found no significant interaction between BMI and ε4 carrier status on HDL levels.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether having a specific gene (APOE ε4) changes how body weight affects good cholesterol levels. It found that it doesn't.
Methodology
The study used generalized estimating equations to analyze the interaction between BMI and APOE ε4 carrier status on HDL after adjusting for various factors.
Potential Biases
Potential under-representation of non-Caucasian populations may limit generalizability.
Limitations
The study had a small number of non-Caucasian subjects and may have been under-powered to detect small effects.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was 56.4 years, with 47% male and a high prevalence of smoking and hypertension.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.39
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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