OBJECTIVE To examine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients as a function of apolipoprotein (apo) E polymorphism.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The apo E phenotypes and plasma lipid, lipoprotein, and apo levels were determined for 517 Italian diabetic patients. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (defined as ischemic heart disease [IHD] and/or peripheral vascular disease and/or cerebrovascular disease) was assessed as a function of apo E polymorphism at entry and after 4 years.

RESULTS The occurrence of vascular disease did not differ significantly between diabetic patients in the various categories of apo E phenotype either at entry into the study or after 4 years. When expressed as a percentage of patients with disease, we observed—for E2, E3, and E4 carriers, respectively—at entry: IHD, 20.0% (n = 14), 21.0% (n = 79), and 21.5% (n = 14); and macroangiopathy, 24.3% (n = 17), 29.3% (n = 110), and 24.6% (n = 16). Apo E polymorphism did not make a significant contribution to multiple logistic regression models designed to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of vascular disease in diabetic patients.

CONCLUSION Apo E polymorphism and, notably, the apo E4 allele cannot be universally considered as a particular risk factor for cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients.