[Apolipoprotein E polymorphism as a predictor of progression of multiple sclerosis]

Abstract

Introduction: During recent years, different studies have proposed that apolipoprotein E e4 can be a predictor of progression in multiple sclerosis. We aim to evaluate these findings in our country.

Patients and methods: We studied 42 patients with relapsing remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, and a disease duration of at least 2 years. We correlated the presence or absence of e4 allele with markers of progression such as age of onset and diagnosis, disease duration, number of relapses, EDSS at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years, progression index and relapse rate.

Results: None of the parameters evaluated significantly correlate with e4 allele of the APOE.

Conclusions: In spite of the limitation due to the small number of patients studied, we cannot confirm that APOE e4 allele is a predictor of progression of disability in multiple sclerosis.