Preliminary evidence for a role of apolipoprotein E alleles in identifying haemodialysis patients at high vascular risk

Conventional risk factors have very low predictive power in identifyinghaemodialysis patients at high risk of vascular accidents. A role forapolipoprotein E isotypes was looked for in a small, but rigorouslydefined, cohort of longterm haemodialysis patients. In individuals withhigh vascular risk, as identified by higher common carotid intima/mediathickness, we found an excess of apolipoprotein E4 alleles. Thispreliminary result requires confirmation in large patient cohorts.