Analyses of interaction effect between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and alcohol use as well as cholesterol concentrations on spontaneous deep intracerebral hemorrhage in the Taiwan population

Background: To determine the interaction effect between APOE polymorphism and lipid concentrations and alcohol use on spontaneous deep intracerebral hemorrhage (SDICH) risks. Methods: We enrolled 217 SDICH patients and 280 controls. Anthropometrics, personal history, and concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and triglyceride were collected. Genotyping was determined by PCR-based restriction and electrophoresis assay. Associations were tested adjusting for multiple covariables. Results: Compared with the commonest genotype epsilon 3 epsilon 3, epsilon 2 epsilon 3 was inversely associated with TC (p = 0.023) and LDL-c concentrations (p = 0.005) in women. No APOE-alcohol interaction effect on lipids concentration was found. However, in men, there was a marginal effect of interaction between alcohol and APOE genotype epsilon 2 epsilon 3 vs. epsilon 3 epsilon 3 on SDICH risks (p = 0.003), which is independent of TC concentration. In the male non-alcohol group, SDICH proportion was lower in the subjects carrying APOE epsilon 2 epsilon 3 (27.6%) than in those with epsilon 3 epsilon 3 (41.1%). In contrast, in the male alcohol consumption group, APOE epsilon 2 epsilon 3 was associated with a higher SDICH rate (77.8%) compared to epsilon 3 epsilon 3 (58.0%). Conclusions: Male subjects carrying genotype epsilon 2 epsilon 3 tend to have a higher SDICH risk than those who have epsilon 3 epsilon 3 when they have alcohol exposure, but may have more benefit from alcohol abstinence. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.