Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in South African Zulu women with preeclampsia

Objectives: Apolipoprotein E may contribute to the hypertriglyceridemia and consequent endothelial dysfunction of preeclampsia. We carried out a study to determine whether the apolipoprotein E genotype plays any role as a ris k factor for preeclampsia in a black South African population with a high i ncidence of preeclampsia. Design: A descriptive, prospective study design was used. Setting: King Edward VIII Hospital, a tertiary care, referral academic hosp ital in Durban, South Africa. Patients and Participants: One hundred three South African Zulu women with preeclampsia and 110 healthy normotensive women attending the antenatal cli nic were recruited. Main Outcome Measures: The relationship between the apolipoprotein E allele and genotype frequencies to preeclampsia as well as adverse perinatal outc ome. Results: The frequencies of epsilon2 and epsilon4 alleles (0.19 and 0.25, r espectively) were much higher than those reported in other population group s. However, there was no significant difference in the apolipoprotein E gen otype and allele frequencies between the study and the control groups. The epsilon2/2 genotype was associated with increased risk of perinatal death ( p = 0.047). Conclusion: The study suggests that, despite the high incidence of both pre eclampsia and the epsilon2 and epsilon4 alleles in South African Zulu women , apolipoprotein E genotype does not appear to be a risk factor for preecla mpsia in this population.