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The apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and the response to tacrine therapy in Alzheimer’s disease
Author(s) -
Rigaud A.S.,
Traykov L.,
Caputo L.,
Guelfi M.C.,
Latour F.,
Couderc R.,
Moulin F.,
De Rotrou J.,
Forette F.,
Boller F.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-1331.2000.00073.x
Subject(s) - tacrine , apolipoprotein e , medicine , alzheimer's disease , dose , allele , clinical endpoint , oncology , disease , randomized controlled trial , acetylcholinesterase , genetics , biology , biochemistry , gene , enzyme
The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) phenotype and gender on the response to tacrine treatment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ApoE phenotyping was performed on 76 patients treated with tacrine for AD. This group comprised 33 ApoE ε4 allele carriers (ε4+) and 43 non‐ε4 carriers (ε4–). Patients were treated blindly in relation to the ApoE phenotype, with incremental tacrine dosages ranging from 40 mg/day up to the highest dosage (160 mg) tolerated without side‐effects. At least 6 weeks elapsed between each increase. Changes in the scores for the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale‐Cognitive Component (ADAS‐Cog) between baseline and each increment in dosage were assessed in the ε4– and ε4+ groups. The cut‐off point for being considered as responsive to tacrine treatment was a 4‐point decrease in the ADAS‐Cog score. There was no tendency for the ε4– carriers to respond better than the ε4+ carriers. When patients were stratified by gender, no differences were found between the effects of the treatment on men and women. Consequently, these results do not support the hypothesis that the ApoE phenotype and gender are predictors of the response to tacrine in AD patients.