Apolipoprotein E plays a crucial role in the cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism and has an impact on their blood concentrations. The polymorphism of apolipoprotein E is one of the main genetic factors responsible for familial predisposition for ischaemic heart disease. In cerebrovascular attacks the polymorphism of apolipoprotein E was investigated so far only very rarely and it is therefore the objective of the present work to evaluate its relation to early ischaemic (atherotrombotic) cerebrovas- cular attacks. To this end a group of 71 subjects was examined (38 men and 33 women) after an early ischaemic cerebrovascular attack (at the age under 55 years), 55 of their siblings and 88 children of these patients. The findings were compared with a control group of healthy subjects with a negative family history of early atherosclerosis, matched for age and sex. The findings were also compared with a random sample of the Czech population examined within the MONIKA project (289 subjects). In the patients the authors found, as compared with the control group, a lower incidence of genotype Î3/3 (59.1% vs. 80.1%, p<0.05). In women genotype Î3/4 was more frequent (33.3% vs. 11.9%, p<0.05), in men genotype Î2/3 (21.1% vs. 4.5%, p<0.05). The more frequent incidence of genotype Î3/4 in women persisted also on comparison with a random population sample (33.3% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.05). Women with allele Î4 had, as compared with allele Î2, a higher concentration of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and fasting bood glucose while men with allele Î4 had only a significantly higher apolipoprotein B level and blood glucose level on fasting, as compared with allele Î2. Conclusions: The polymorphism of apolipoprotein E is very probably a genetic predisposing factor of early ischaemic cerebrovascular attacks in particu- lar genotype Î3/4 in women. Key words: apolipoprotein E polymorphism, ischaemic cerebrovascular attack, stroke, lipoproteins, apoprotein

        Key words: apolipoprotein E polymorphism, ischaemic cerebrovascular attack, stroke, lipoproteins, apoprotein