Cholesterol and APOE genotype interact to influence Alzheimer disease progression

In this retrospective analysis of 443 Alzheimer disease (AD) patients from a 30-week tacrine trial, change in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale score from baseline to final value was significantly associated with a total serum cholesterol/APOE genotype interaction. Disease progression in the no-APOE epsilon4 allele/high-cholesterol subgroup was greater than in the normal-cholesterol subgroups with or without epsilon4. Cholesterol levels and APOE genotype may interact to affect AD progression. The results are consistent with preclinical data on cholesterol's effects in AD.