The relationship of the apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism in Turkish Type 2 Diabetic Patients with and without diabetic foot ulcers

AimsThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism in the development of diabetic foot ulcers in Type 2 diabetes Turkish patients.Materials and methodsThe ApoE genotypes were determined retrospectively in 50 patients with diabetic foot and 50 without diabetic foot and a control group of 50 healthy individuals.ResultsThe genotype ApoE distribution did differ between the control group (E2E3 44%, E3E3 38%, E3E4 18%) and Type 2 Diabetic Patients (E2E3 6%, E3E3 81%, E3E4 16%) (p < 0.001). The genotype ApoE distribution did not differ between Type 2 Diabetic Patients group (E2E3 4%, E3E3 86%, E3E4 4%) and diabetic foot ulcers (E2E3 8%, E3E3 76%, E3E4 16%) (p > 0.05). The frequency of the E2,E3,E4 allele in between the control group and Type 2 Diabetic Patients were no similar for the groups (E2 22%, E3 69%, E4 9% and E2 3%, E3 90.5%, E4 6.5%, respectively) (p < 0.001). The frequency of the E2–E4 allele in between the Type 2 Diabetic Patients and diabetic foot ulcers were similar for the groups (E2 2%, E3 93%, E4 5% and E2 4%, E3 88%, E4 8%, respectively) (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe gene polymorphism of ApoE and E3 allele are a risk factor for diabetes, but gene polymorphism of ApoE is not an independent risk factor for diabetic foot. Lack of association between ApoE gene polymorphism and Type 2 diabetic foot ulcers might be due to ethnic differences.