Prevalence of Apolipoprotein E Phenotypes in Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease

coronary artery disease. We investigated the putative role of apolipoprotein E phenotypes in cerebral infarction. Methods: The apolipoprotein E phenotypes of 69 patients (mean±SD age, 72±+11 years) who had suffered completed stroke or a transient ischemic attack and 68 sexand age-matched control subjects free of cerebrovascular disease were determined by isoelectric focusing. The relative frequency of the apolipoprotein E phenotypes in the general population was estimated in 498 healthy blood donors (mean age, 37 years). Results: The prevalences of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and intermittent claudication were significantly higher in patients than in control subjects. Serum lipid and apolipoprotein B concentrations and the composition of very low density lipoproteins were not significantly different between patients and control subjects. Apolipoprotein A-I and E levels were significantly lower in patients. Cholesterol levels