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APOE epsilon 4 lowers age at onset and is a high risk factor for Alzheimer's disease; a case control study from central Norway
Sando SB, Melquist S, Cannon A, Hutton ML, Sletvold O, Saltvedt I, White LR, Lydersen S et al.. BMC neurology, 2008-04-16
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background The objective of this study was to analyze factors influencing the risk and timing of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in central Norway. The APOE epsilon4 allele is the only consistently identified risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). We have described the allele frequencies of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) in a large population of patients with AD compared to the frequencies in a cognitively-normal control group, and estimated the effect of the APOE epsilon4 allele on the risk and the age at onset of AD in this population.
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APA 7th
Sando, S. B., Melquist, S., Cannon, A., Hutton, M. L., Sletvold, O., Saltvedt, I., et al. (2008). APOE epsilon 4 lowers age at onset and is a high risk factor for Alzheimer's disease; a case control study from central Norway. BMC neurology. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-8-9
Vancouver
Sando SB, Melquist S, Cannon A, Hutton ML, Sletvold O, Saltvedt I, et al. APOE epsilon 4 lowers age at onset and is a high risk factor for Alzheimer's disease; a case control study from central Norway. BMC neurology. 2008. doi:10.1186/1471-2377-8-9. PMID: 18416843.
BibTeX
@article{sando2008-18416843,
author = {Sando, S. B. and Melquist, S. and Cannon, A. and Hutton, M. L. and Sletvold, O. and Saltvedt, I. and White, L. R. and Lydersen, S. and others},
title = {{APOE epsilon 4 lowers age at onset and is a high risk factor for Alzheimer's disease; a case control study from central Norway}},
journal = {BMC neurology},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1186/1471-2377-8-9},
pmid = {18416843},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-8-9}
}
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Key findings
- The APOE epsilon4 allele is the only consistently identified risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD).
- We have described the allele frequencies of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) in a large population of patients with AD compared to the frequencies in a cognitively-normal control group, and estimated the effect of the APOE epsilon4 allele on the risk and the age at onset of AD in this population.
- Methods 376 patients diagnosed with AD and 561 cognitively-normal control individuals with no known first degree relatives with dementia were genotyped for the APOE alleles.
- Allele frequencies and genotypes in patients and control individuals were compared.
Why it matters
This case-control study from central Norway found that the APOE epsilon4 allele is a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease and lowers the age at onset. It identifies a risk factor only and reports no treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Participants376
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | BMC Neurology: journal h-index 122 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 376 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 261 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.1 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 56 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jan Olav Aasly: h-index 68 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18416843) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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