MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 137 subjects including 69 CHD cases (45 male, 24 female) and 68 healthy subjects (33 male and 35 female).
RESULTS: The
ApoE3/E3 genotype was the most common in the control and the CHD groups.
ApoE2/E3 and
ApoE3/E4 were the next most common genotypes. The frequencies of
ApoE alleles in the CHD subjects were 0.826 for E3, 0.137 for E4, and 0.0362 for E2. These frequencies are comparable to those found in the control group which were 0.875 for the E3, 0.073 for E4, and 0.0515 for E2. No statistically significant differences in
ApoE genotypes were found between the patients and the control groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the mean of
triglyceride (TG) and HDL levels among different
ApoE genotypes. However, there was a significant difference in the mean of
LDL and
ApoE genotypes where the mean of
LDL was 218.17 mg/dl in
ApoE4, 149.67 mg/dl in
ApoE2, and 184.52 mg/dl in
ApoE3. A significant difference was also evident between the mean of
LDL levels in the CHD and the control group where the mean of
LDL was 126 mg/dl in CHD and 111.47 mg/dl in the control group. Our study indicated that there was no significant difference between the mean of
cholesterol and TG levels of the CHD and the control groups.
CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study in Gaza Strip investigating the relation between
ApoE genotypes and CHD. Further investigations are needed to link other genetic factors to CHD.