Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 60. No. 4., 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2021.60.04.05
Association between Apolipoprotein E Polymorphisms and Epilepsy in Children
Monika Kukuruzović
orcid.org/0000-0001-9034-1578
; Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
Vanja Bašić Kes
; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
Maša Malenica
orcid.org/0000-0003-4950-9038
; Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) plays an important role in lipid metabolism and is a
proven risk factor for development of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the
study was to determine the possible connection between particular APOE alleles, blood lipid profile
and different types of epilepsy in children. Alleles of the APOE gene, blood cholesterol (total, highdensity
lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were analyzed
in blood samples of 111 children with epilepsy and 118 age- and sex-matched children without
epilepsy. Distribution of APOE genotypes was the same in children of both groups. Significantly increased
levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were found in control group (Z=3.49 and 3.52
respectively, p<0.01). No statistically significant difference was found between the genotypes of children
with idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsy (χ²=1.96; df=2; p>0.05). There were statistically significant
differences in the levels of total cholesterol (Z=2.09; p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol (Z=2.05;
p<0.05) according to the type of epilepsy in favor of symptomatic epilepsy. The study confirmed that
there was no connection between APOE and type of epilepsy in children and showed the children
with epilepsy to have lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Interestingly, this also held
true for children with idiopathic epilepsy compared to those with symptomatic condition.
Keywords
Apolipoprotein E; Brain plasticity; Children with epilepsy; Gene polymorphism; Lipoprotein
Hrčak ID:
275431
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2021.
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