Objectives: To evaluate the association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and to study the influence of APOE genotype on the development of AD in a Spanish population.
Material and methods: The study comprised 29 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and 27 control subjects. Using ELISA methodology, CSF biomarkers and tau/Aβ ratios were obtained. ANOVA and adjusted odds ratios were calculated.
Results: We observed the effect of APOE genotype and age on CSF AD variables. The progression to AD was more clearly influenced by CSF AD variables than by age or APOE status.
Conclusions: APOE status influences CSF AD variables. However, the presence of APOE ε4 does not appear to be a deterministic factor for the development of AD, because CSF variables have a greater influence on progression to the disease. These results confirm previous observations and, to our knowledge, are the first published in a Spanish population.