genetic analysis for rheumatoid arthritis patients complicated with renal disorders

目的：探讨血清载脂蛋白E(ApoE)4型同工蛋白是否是类风湿关节炎(RA)患者发生淀粉样变的危险因素。方法：采用等电聚焦技术，研究68例RA合并淀粉样变患者和171例不伴淀粉样变的RA患者的ApoE表型表达及相应的等位基因频率(epsilon 2、epsilon 3和epsilon 4)。结果：ApoE3/4表型在类风湿性关节炎组(26.5%)明显高于非淀粉样变组(15.2%；P&lt；0.05)。结论：ApoE4同工蛋白的存在可能是RA淀粉样变性发生的危险因素之一。此外，载脂蛋白E4同工蛋白可能是RA合并淀粉样变性患者生存不良的标志。

OBJECTIVE : To determine whether serum Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) type 4 isoprotein is a risk factor for the development of amyloidosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).METHODS : Using isoelectric focusing, we studied Apo E phenotype expression and the corresponding allele frequencies (epsilon 2, epsilon 3, and epsilon 4) in 68 RA patients complicated with amyloidosis, 171 RA patients without amyloidosis.RESULTS : The Apo E3/4 phenotype was significantly more common in the group with amyloidosis (26.5%) than in the patients without amyloidosis (15.2% ; P<0.05). RA amyloidosis patients with Apo E4 isoprotein had significantly poor survival than those without Apo E4 isoprotein.CONCLUSION : The presence of Apo E4 isoprotein may be a risk factor for the development of amyloidosis in patients with RA. Furthermore, Apo E4 isoprotein may be a marker of poor survival for RA patients complicated with amyloidosis.