Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Tsantzali Ioanna, Athanasaki Athanasia, Boufidou Fotini, Constantinides Vasilios C., Stefanou Maria-Ioanna, Moschovos Christos, Zompola Christina, Paraskevas Sotirios G., Bonakis Anastasios, Giannopoulos Sotirios, Tsivgoulis Georgios, Kapaki Elisabeth, Paraskevas George P.
Primary Institution: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Hypothesis
How do classical cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers differ between mixed and pure Alzheimer’s disease?
Conclusion
Mixed Alzheimer’s disease cases may present with lower levels of tau proteins compared to pure Alzheimer’s disease cases.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients with mixed AD had lower levels of phospho-tau181 and total tau compared to pure AD patients.
- CSF Aβ42 levels did not differ significantly between mixed and pure AD groups.
- Age and education significantly affected the levels of Aβ40 and tau proteins.
Takeaway
This study looked at patients with Alzheimer’s disease and found that those with mixed types had lower levels of certain proteins in their spinal fluid than those with pure types.
Methodology
Classical CSF AD biomarkers were determined in 61 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, comparing levels between mixed and pure AD groups.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the absence of a control group and reliance on clinical and biomarker criteria for diagnosis.
Limitations
The study lacked pathological confirmation of diagnoses and had a small sample size, particularly in mixed AD subgroups.
Participant Demographics
Patients included both genders, with a mean age of 68.6 years for pure AD and 75.3 years for mixed AD.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.0035 for age difference, p = 0.006 for age at disease onset, p = 0.03 for Aβ40 levels.
Confidence Interval
95% confidence interval for pure AD: 46.9–89.3%, for mixed AD: 21.3–52.6%.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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