APOLIPOPROTEIN-E EPSILON-4 IN INCLUSION-BODY MYOSITIS

The genetic predisposition to inclusion body myositis (IBM) is probabl y multifactorial. The deposition of the beta-amyloid protein is a char acteristic histological feature of both IBM and Alzheimer's disease (A D). The epsilon 4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APO E) has been strongly associated with familial and late-onset AD. We therefore compared the APO E allele frequencies in a group of 14 patients with IBM with thos e in a group of patients with other inflammatory muscle diseases and i n the general population. The frequency of the epsilon 4 allele in IBM was increased (0.29) compared with that in patients with other inflam matory muscle diseases (0.15) and the general population (0.13) (p < 0 .05). These data suggest that APO E genotype may be one of the factors involved in determining the predisposition to the development of IBM.