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(Stroke. 2009;40:3186.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Apolipoprotein E Genotype Is Related to Progression of White Matter Lesion Load

Ophélia Godin, MSc; Christophe Tzourio, MD, PhD; Pauline Maillard, PhD; Annick Alpérovitch, MD, MSc; Bernard Mazoyer, MD, PhD Carole Dufouil, PhD

From the Inserm (O.G., C.T., A.A., C.D.), U708 "Neuroepidemiology," Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6 (O.G., C.T., A.A., C.D.), Paris, France; CNRS-CEA UMR6232 Centre for Imaging-Neuroscience and Application to Pathologies (P.M., B.M.), Caen, France; Université de Caen Basse-Normande (P.M., B.M.), Caen, France; Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Caen (B.M.), Caen, France; and Institut Universitaire de France (B.M.), Paris, France.

Correspondence to Ophélia Godin, MSc, Inserm Unit 708 "Neuroepidemiology," Hôpital la Salpétrière, 75651 Paris Cédex 13, France. E-mail ophelia.godin{at}upmc.fr

Background and Purpose— The relationship between white matter lesions (WMLs) and the apolipoprotein E genotype has been controversial from cross-sectional studies and no longitudinal finding has been reported. We investigated whether the apolipoprotein E genotype influences baseline and evolution over 4-year follow-up of WML volumes in a population-based sample of 1779 nondemented subjects aged 65 to 80 years old at enrollment.

Methods— The sample consisted of 3C-Dijon study participants who had 2 cerebral MRIs, at entry and at 4-year follow-up. WML volumes were estimated using a fully automatic procedure. We performed analysis of covariance to evaluate the relationship between apolipoprotein E genotype and WML load and progression.

Results— Multivariable analyses showed that 44 individuals had both significantly higher WML volume at baseline and higher WML increase over 4-year follow-up than noncarriers and heterozygous of the 4 allele for apolipoprotein E genotype.

Conclusion— These findings suggest it might be important to take into account WML severity when assessing the relationship between apolipoprotein E and dementia.

Key Words: ApoE • cerebrovascular • elderly • epidemiology • MRI