LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymorphism on regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) at the early phase of adult traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS clinical data of TBI patients who were admitted to the neurosurgery intensive care unit (NICU) were retrospectively evaluated and studied, and data of healthy volunteers were recruited as control. The APOE genotypes were genotyped by quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR). The rScO2 and brainelectricalactivityof all the participants involved in this research were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and QEEG respectively. RESULTS The average rScO2 of TBI patients was significantly lower than that of the normal controls (P < 0.0001). And the EEG of the TBI patients has showed more irregular slow-wave activities than that of the normal controls. Furthermore, the above changes were more significant in the APOE ε4 carriers in the early stage of TBI patients. CONCLUSIONS The APOE ε4 allele may be associated with poor rScO2 and more slow-wave activities at the early stage of TBI. SIGNIFICANCE To clarify the effect of APOE gene polymorphism on the condition of patients with TBI may be helpful for the design and management of individualized treatment programs.