The Association between Apolipoprotein E and Traumatic Brain Injury Severity and Functional Outcome

J Neurotrauma. 2011 Jun 8;

Authors: Ponsford J, McLaren A, Schönberger M, Burke R, Rudzki D, Olver J, Ponsford M

Traumatic Brain Injury can result in significant disability, but outcome is variable. The impact of known predictors accounts for a limited proportion of the variance in outcomes. Apolipoprotein E genotype has been investigated as an additional source of variability in injury severity and outcome, with mixed findings reflecting variable methodology and generally limited sample sizes. This study aimed to examine whether possession of the Apolipoprotein E 4 allele was associated with greater acute injury severity and poorer long-term outcome in patients referred for rehabilitation following TBI. Apolipoprotein E genotype was determined for 648 patients with traumatic brain injury, who were prospectively followed up a mean of 1.9 years post-injury. Hypotheses that 4 carriers would have lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores and longer post-traumatic amnesia duration were not supported. Prediction of worse Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended scores for 4 carriers was supported, with greater susceptibility in females. Results indicate the Apolipoprotein E 4 allele may be associated with poorer long-term outcome but not acute injury severity. Possible mechanisms include differential effects of the 4 allele on inflammatory and cellular repair processes and /or amyloid deposition.

PMID: 21651315 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?tmpl=NoSidebarfile&db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=21651315&dopt=Abstract