Objective-Clinical trials of vitamin E have failed to demonstrate a decrease in cardiovascular events. However, these studies did not address possible benefit to subgroups with increased oxidative stress. Haptoglobin (Hp), a major antioxidant protein, is a determinant of cardiovascular events in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The Hp gene is polymorphic with 2 common alleles, 1 and 2. The Hp 2 allelic protein product provides inferior antioxidant protection compared with the Hp 1 allelic product. We sought to test the hypothesis that vitamin E could reduce cardiovascular events in DM individuals with the Hp 2-2 genotype, a subgroup that comprises 2% to 3% of the general population. Methods and Results-1434 DM individuals Ն55 years of age with the Hp 2-2 genotype were randomized to vitamin E (400 U/d) or placebo. The primary composite outcome was myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. At the first evaluation of events, 18 months after initiating the study, the primary outcome was significantly reduced in individuals receiving vitamin E (2.2%) compared with placebo (4.7%; Pϭ0.01) and led to early termination of the study. xtensive preclinical and observational studies showing the apparent benefit from vitamin E in preventing cardiovascular events created an atmosphere in which more than 40% of cardiologists were routinely prescribing high dose vitamin E. 1 Over the past 10 years, several prospective randomized clinical trials have investigated whether vitamin E supplementation provides cardiovascular protection. 2-9 The overwhelming consensus from these studies is that vitamin E supplementation does not provide cardiovascular benefit. 10 -11 To the contrary, meta-analysis of these studies suggests high dose vitamin E supplementation may increase mortality, 12 and several opinion articles have called for a moratorium on prescription of high dose vitamin E supplements. 10 -12 A possible explanation for why these studies failed in spite of solid preclinical data are the inadequate nature of patient selection in these studies. 13 High-dose antioxidant therapy may only provide benefit to individuals who suffer from particularly high levels of oxidative stress. Conclusions-VitaminThe haptoglobin (Hp) genotype may help identify patients with high levels of oxidative stress and who may benefit from antioxidant therapy with vitamin E. 14 The Hp gene is polymorphic with 2 common classes of alleles denoted 1 and 2. 15 We and others have demonstrated that the Hp 2 allele protein product is an inferior antioxidant compared with the Hp 1 allele protein product. 16 -20 These differences in antioxidant protection are profoundly accentuated in the diabetic state resulting in a marked relative increase in oxidative stress in Hp 2 transgenic mice and Hp 2-2 individuals with DM. 16 -20 The distribution of the 3 Hp genotypes in Western societies is approximately 16% Hp 1-1, 36% Hp 2-2, and 48% Hp 2-1. 15 We have demonstrated an interaction between the Hp genotype and DM on the development of cardi...

OBJECTIVE-Pharmacogenomics is a key component of personalized medicine. The Israel Cardiovascular Events Reduction with Vitamin E Study, a prospective placebo-controlled study, recently demonstrated that vitamin E could dramatically reduce CVD in individuals with diabetes and the haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 genotype (40% of diabetic individuals). However, because of the large number of clinical trials that failed to demonstrate benefit from vitamin E coupled with the lack of a mechanistic explanation for why vitamin E should be beneficial only in diabetic individuals with the Hp 2-2 genotype, enthusiasm for this pharmacogenomic paradigm has been limited. In this study, we sought to provide such a mechanistic explanation based on the hypothesis that the Hp 2-2 genotype and diabetes interact to promote HDL oxidative modification and dysfunction.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-Hb and lipid peroxides were assessed in HDL isolated from diabetic individuals or mice with the Hp 1-1 or Hp 2-2 genotypes. HDL function was assessed based on its ability to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophages. A crossover placebo-controlled study in Hp 2-2 diabetic humans and in Hp 1-1 and Hp 2-2 diabetic mice assessed the ability of vitamin E to favorably modify these structural and functional parameters.RESULTS-Hb and lipid peroxides associated with HDL were increased and HDL function was impaired in Hp 2-2 diabetic individuals and mice. Vitamin E decreased oxidative modification of HDL and improved HDL function in Hp 2-2 diabetes but had no effect in Hp 1-1 diabetes.CONCLUSIONS-Vitamin E significantly improves the quality of HDL in Hp 2-2 diabetic individuals.

Aims Individuals with both diabetes mellitus (DM) and the Haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 genotype are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. As the antioxidant function of the Hp 2-2 protein is impaired, we sought to test the pharmacogenomic hypothesis that antioxidant vitamin E supplementation would provide cardiovascular protection to Hp 2-2 DM individuals. Materials & methods We determined the Hp genotype on DM participants from two trials (HOPE and ICARE) and assessed the effect of vitamin E by Hp genotype on their common prespecified outcome, the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. Data was analyzed with a fixed-effect model. These results were input into a simulation model, the Evidence Based Medicine Integrator, in order to estimate their long-term implications in a real-world population from Kaiser Permanente (CA, USA). Results Meta-analysis of the two trials demonstrated a significant overall reduction in the composite end point in Hp 2-2 DM individuals with vitamin E (odds ratio: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.40–0.86; p = 0.006). There was a statistically significant interaction between the Hp genotype and vitamin E on the composite end point. In these trials, Hp typing of 69 DM individuals and treating those with the Hp 2-2 with vitamin E prevented one myocardial infarct, stroke or cardiovascular death. Lifelong administration of vitamin E to Hp 2-2 DM individuals in the Kaiser population would increase their life expectancy by 3 years. Conclusion A pharmacogenomic strategy of screening DM individuals for the Hp genotype and treating those with Hp 2-2 with vitamin E appears to be highly clinically effective.