Apolipoprotein E gene and age-related maculopathy in older individuals - The Cardiovascular Health Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene and age-related maculopathy (ARM) in an older population. METHODS: Two thousand one hundred seventy persons 65 years and older sampled from 4 US communities had ARM signs assessed from retinal photographs using a modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. DNA extracted from blood samples was analyzed for common APOE alleles. RESULTS: After controlling for age, sex, cigarette smoking, and other factors, white participants carrying the epsilon2 allele had an increased risk of late ARM (odds ratio, 2.53 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-5.90]) while carriers of the epsilon4 allele had a lower risk of lat..