Expert consensus on the standardized application of ApoE ε4 measurement in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the elderly. The ApoE ε4 gene is the main genetic risk factors for sporadic AD, and is associated with the changes in the amyloid β ‐protein (Aβ) and tau protein, the core pathological features of AD. ApoE ε4 has great potential as a genetic biomarker for AD. Clinical studies have shown the important role of peripheral blood ApoE ε4 in AD risk assessment and disease detection. But in the current clinical practice, there are many weak points of insufficient understanding and insufficient attention about the clinical use of ApoE ε4. The importance of ApoE ε4 is highlighted especially with the development of high‐quality clinical drug trials or the arrival of clinical drug therapy targeting Aβ for AD. So far, there is still a lack of Chinese expert consensus on the standardized application of ApoE ε4 in AD. Given that, this article systematically summarizes the current domestic and international research on the application of ApoE ε4 in AD. The consensus is written and aimed to fully reflect the clinical application value of ApoE ε4 in AD, and improve the diagnosis and treatment level of AD, and guide further clinical research.

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672‐6731.2024.08.010