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Mayo Clinic: Quality of life not determined by prevalence of ApoE
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Apolipoprotein E is a gene commonly associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes — all conditions associated with a negative effect on quality of life. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, researchers report that patients who had strong intellectual and emotional health tended to have a better quality of life despite the presence of the gene.
“We found if people had good physical, intellectual, and emotional well-being, more social connectedness, and if they perceived themselves to have better coping skills, they felt they had better quality of life,” study researcher Maria I. Lapid, MD, of the departments of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in a press release.
Researchers used the NIH-supported Rochester Epidemiology Project to conduct a cross-sectional cohort study of 121 patients in Olmsted County, Minn., living on their own or in long-term care, aged 90 to 99 years.
They collected demographic, cognitive function, quality of life and ApoE distribution information to understand the relationship between ApoE4 and quality of life in some of the oldest patient populations.
Among the 121 patients studied, 45 were categorized as cognitively normal, 13 with mild cognitive impairment, 34 having dementia and 29 with dementia and stroke and/or parkinsonism (DEMSP), researchers wrote.
According to data, the frequency of the ApoE3 allele was highest (80.2%), followed by ApoE4 (10.3%) and ApoE2 (9.5%), researchers wrote. However, there was no association between overall quality of life and ApoE4 despite previous research. Patients who were physically, emotionally and intellectually healthy displayed better quality of life independent of gender. Social connections and greater coping skills also added to improved quality of life.
“The study shows that the ApoE4 genotype doesn’t determine what your quality of life will be, and that, regardless of your gender, environmental factors play a significant role in your physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being,” Lapid said in the release. “You can have good quality of life regardless of this gene.”
Disclosure: This study was supported by the Alzheimer’s Association, NIA grants AG16574 and AG06786, and the Robert H. and Clarice Smith and Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program of the Mayo Foundation. The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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