RELATION OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E POLYMORPHISM TO LIPID-METABOLISM IN OBESE CHILDREN

To determine whether the risk of obesity-associated dyslipidemia in ch ildren is influenced by apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism, we studi ed 137 obese, nongenetically related children aged 2.2-14.4 y (mean ag e, 9.9 +/- 3.1 y) with a weight-for-height excess of 43.7 +/- 17.9%, T he apoE genotype was determined by studying specific DNA restriction p atterns. Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were as sayed in plasma before dietary treatment initiation. ApoE allele and p henotype distributions were comparable to those reported in the Caucas ian population at large. Fifty-five children (41%) had elevated lipid levels. Compared with obese children with the epsilon 3 or epsilon 4 a llele, those with the epsilon 2 allele were more likely to have hypert riglyceridemia (19.5% versus 52.9%, p < 0.05) and had a higher mean tr iglyceride level; children with the epsilon 4 allele were more likely to have a LDL-cholesterol elevation (34.7% versus 13.4%, p < 0.05). Ou r data demonstrate that, even in childhood, obesity is associated with a marked increase in the risk of lipoprotein abnormalities and that t he latter are influenced by apoE polymorphism.