Aim To study the relationship between polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E and serum lipid. Methods The multiplex amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction technique was used to analyze the apolipoprotein E (apo E) genotype of 113 hyperlipoproteinemia patients and 108 healthy controls, as well as serum lipid. The results was processed by the statistical analysis. Results The serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the hyperlipoproteinemia patients were significantly higher than in the healthy controls (p<0.05), however, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A_Ⅰ was much lower in hyperlipoproteinemia patients (p<0.05); Among the three genotypes of apolipoprotein E, apolipoprotein E3/3 was the most common one, the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele frequency in the hyperlipoproteinemia patients was much higher than in the healthy controls (p<0.05). Conlusions High density lipoprotein cholesterol was of great importance in reducing serum lipid, and gene polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E may be a genetic factor in hyperlipoproteinemia patients.