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Although the ApoE4 gene is a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, not all ApoE4 carriers develop the disease. But new research shows that ApoE4, associated with chronic inflammation, significantly increases the risk of AD.
This can be detected by sequential measurements of the C-reactive protein, a routine clinical test that could be performed routinely, according to researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM).
"It is important to determine which mediating factors for ApoE4 increase the risk of AD, in order to develop an intervention and prevention of the disease," said corresponding author, Wendy Qiu, MD, Ph.D., professor Associate of Psychiatry and Pharmacology and Experimental Treatment at BUSM.
"Since many seniors suffer from chronic inflammation of low grade after suffering from common diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pneumonia and urinary tract infections, or after surgery, rigorous treatment chronic systemic inflammation of ApoE4 carriers could be effective in preventing Alzheimer's dementia. "
Using data from the Framingham Heart Study, which includes more than 3,000 subjects, the researchers studied patients with the ApoE4 gene and those with low-grade chronic inflammation defined by sequential measurements of C-reactive protein.
They found that ApoE4 with low grade chronic inflammation was more strongly related to the onset of dementia, as well as to AD, compared with ApoE4 carriers without inflammation.
Qiu said that she thought that in the absence of low-grade chronic inflammation, there could be no difference in Alzheimer's risk between ApoE4 and non-ApoE4 carriers , adding that anti-inflammatory treatments could be effective in preventing AD.
The study was published in JAMA network open.
Source: School of Medicine, Boston University
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