Influence of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms on serum creatinine levels and predicted glomerular filtration rate in healthy subjects

Background. There are conflicting results regarding the effect of apolipoprotein (ApoE) polymorphisms on the progression of a variety of renal diseases. However, there are no data on the possible effect of the ApoE alleles on serum creatinine levels and predicted glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in healthy subjects. Methods. 290 apparently healthy individuals were studied. ApoE genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction; the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation (MDRD) predicted the GFR. Results. ApoE2 was associated with lower levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as with higher levels of triglycerides in our population. Furthermore, the ApoE2 allele was associated with increased serum creatinine levels compared with both the E3 and E4 alleles (1.04 +/- 0.13 vs 0.92 +/- 0.13 vs 0.88 +/- 0.11 mg/dl, respectively, P = 0.0077), while the MDRD-predicted GFR was decreased in ApoE2 carriers compared with both E3 and E4 carriers (80.3 +/- 10.2 vs 88.1 +/- 9.6 vs 89.3 +/- 9.7 ml/min/1.73 m(2), respectively, P = 0.031). These observations remained significant statistically even if the effect of ApoE polymorphisms on age- and body-mass index-adjusted serum creatinine and MDRD-predicted GFR was separately analysed in both men and women. Although, ApoE4 carriers tended to exhibit lower levels of serum creatinine and higher values of predicted GFR compared with the E3 carries, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions. ApoE2 allele seems to be associated with increased serum creatinine levels and decreased MDRD-predicted GFR in healthy subjects.