Objective: To determine the relationship between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 allele and in-hospital mortality from intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH).
Material and methods: Patients admitted to two acute stroke units with ICH were prospectively evaluated and APOE genotyped. In-hospital survival was recorded in 176 patients.
Results: There were 85 men and 91 women, mean age 68 years. Fifty-two (30%) of the 176 patients died in hospital. After adjusting for sex, age, hospital, and race, increased age (P = 0.009) and the presence of the APOEepsilon4 allele (P = 0.026) significantly reduced in-hospital survival.
Conclusion: The APOEepsilon4 allele in this population may be associated with poor survival following ICH.