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Abstract #8216 Published in IGR 4-3
The apolipoprotein epsilon4 gene is associated with elevated risk of normal tension glaucoma
Vickers JC; Craig JE; Stankovich J; McCormack GH; West AK; Dickinson JL; McCartney PJ; Coote MA; Healey DL; Mackey DAMolecular Vision 2002; 8: 389-393
PURPOSE: Inheritance of a particular apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism, the epsilon4 allele, has been associated with elevated risk for Alzheimer's disease and a poor outcome following head injury. The neuronal injury associated with Alzheimer's disease and brain injury may have a number of similarities with the nerve cell changes associated with glaucoma. Thus, the authors investigated the association of inheritance of apolipoprotein E allelic isoforms (epsilon2, [epsilon]3, and epsilon4) with relative risk for different forms of glaucoma. METHODS: Apolipoprotein E genotype was examined in a Tasmanian population sample comprised of glaucoma sufferers with elevated or normal intraocular pressure (IOP) and compared to a control sample of elderly Tasmanians without glaucoma. RESULTS: Approximately twice as many normal tension (38.0%) and high tension (34.2%) glaucoma cases possessed an epsilon4 allele compared to control cases (18.9%). The odds of epsilon4 carriers having normal-tension glaucoma were significantly greater than for epsilon3 homozygotes (odds ratio 2.45, 95% confidence interval (1.02-5.9)]) even after adjusting for age and gender (odd ratio 2.87 (1.02-8.05)). The increased odds of high-tension glaucoma among [epsilon]4 allele carriers were not significant (adjusted odds ratio 1.53 (0.64-3.68)). CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that, in the Tasmanian population, inheritance of the [epsilon]4 allele is associated with an elevated risk for glaucomatous changes that are not related to increased IOP.
J.C. Vickers, MD, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. James.Vickers@utas.edu.au
Classification:
1.2 Population genetics (Part of: 1 General aspects)
9.2.4 Normal pressure glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.2 Primary open angle glaucomas)
