Association of APOE e4 and cerebrovascular pathology in traumatic brain injury

Background: Previous studies have found the e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene ( APOE e4) is associated with an unfavourable outcome after head injury, but this has not been related to specific pathological features. Objectives: This study tested the postulate that head injured patients with APOE e4, amounting to approximately a third of the population, are selectively predisposed to one or more of the different pathological features that constitute the response to traumatic brain injury (TBI), and that this underlies the association of APOE e4 with poor clinical outcome. Methods: Included in the study were 239 fatal cases of TBI (1987-1999) for which APOE genotypes were determined from archival tissue. For each case, specific pathological features of trauma were recorded by researchers blinded to the APOE e4 status. Of the 239 cases examined, 83 (35%) were APOE e4 carriers and 156 (65%) were non-carriers. Results: Possession of APOE e4 was associated with a greater incidence of moderate or severe contusions (42% v 30% for carriers versus e4 non-carriers; p = 0.05) and there was a trend towards a greater incidence of severe ischaemic brain damage (54% v 42%; p = 0.08). Significant differences were not noted between the other pathological features examined. Conclusions: Possession of APOE e4 is associated with a greater incidence of moderate/severe contusional injury and severe ischaemic brain damage in fatal cases of TBI. This may be relevant to the relatively poor outcome from traumatic brain injury in patients with APOE e4 identified in clinical studies

cognitive decline, e-deficient mice, brain, head-injury, brain injury, missile head-injury, intracranial-pressure, epolymorphism, population, apolipoprotein-e, e4 allele, increased neuronal damage, gene, apoe, damage, injuries, traumatic brain injury, head injury, association, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, intracerebral hemorrhage, pathology, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, apolipoprotein-e genotype, apolipoprotein e

10.1136/jnnp.2005.074617

0022-3050

363-366

Smith, C.

2019b8d8-ee85-40ff-9bb1-76916a21de6b

Graham, D.I.

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Murray, L.S.

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Stewart, J.

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Nicoll, J.A.R.

88c0685f-000e-4eb7-8f72-f36b4985e8ed

March 2006

Smith, C.

2019b8d8-ee85-40ff-9bb1-76916a21de6b

Graham, D.I.

0b1c9c9e-94b2-44fa-b189-8e04501b3a67

Murray, L.S.

9a2f2125-44de-4492-8ead-e9170b212b80

Stewart, J.

856808fb-3362-46ea-b9ed-aa64db4fc983

Nicoll, J.A.R.

88c0685f-000e-4eb7-8f72-f36b4985e8ed

Smith, C., Graham, D.I., Murray, L.S., Stewart, J. and Nicoll, J.A.R. (2006) Association of APOE e4 and cerebrovascular pathology in traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 77 (3), 363-366. (doi:10.1136/jnnp.2005.074617).

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Published date: March 2006

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Keywords: cognitive decline, e-deficient mice, brain, head-injury, brain injury, missile head-injury, intracranial-pressure, epolymorphism, population, apolipoprotein-e, e4 allele, increased neuronal damage, gene, apoe, damage, injuries, traumatic brain injury, head injury, association, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, intracerebral hemorrhage, pathology, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, apolipoprotein-e genotype, apolipoprotein e

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