APOL 1 gene variants and risk for cardiovascular disease

Introduction: The association of APOL1 risk variants with cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular disease in observational and clinical trials has had inconsistent results. We aim to assess the relationship between the presence of APOL1 risk variants and the CVD risk in Afro-descendant patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: We performed an observational, cross-sectional study of Afro-descendant adult patients with end-stage renal disease who were on the waitlist for a kidney transplant. Associations of APOL1 genotypes (high-risk (HR) =2 alleles; low-risk (LR) =0 or 1 allele) with and cardiovascular risk was the primary clinical endpoint. The relation was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: We enrolled a total of 102 patients with ESRD, 37% (38 patients) had APOL1 high-risk status two alleles in homozygous (G1/G1 = 21 and G2/G2= 3) or compound heterozygote (G1/G2=14) form and 63% (64 patients) had APOL1 low-risk status. There was no significant association between APOL1 genotypes and the adjusted Colombia Framingham Risk Score. APOL1 high- versus low-risk status was not independently associated with LV hypertrophy or systolic dysfunction. Three no-cardiovascular deaths occurred during the follow-up. Discussion/Conclusion: In afro-descendent patients with ESRD APOL1 HR status is not associated with the increase in cardiovascular risk profile and metabolic disturbances.