Currently, CSF p-tau181, Aβ42/40, and total tau are used to diagnose AD in clinical practice.1 P-tau217 has recently gained attention due to its high sensitivity and specificity for AD, which are both slightly higher than p-tau181. In plasma, generally speaking, the diagnostic performance of most biomarkers is lower due to difficulties in measuring very low concentrations of abnormal proteins that are present in the blood. The exception is plasma p-tau217, which has excellent diagnostic performance in plasma.2,3 In fact, plasma p-tau217 has statistically non-distinguishable performance from currently used CSF biomarkers. Therefore, plasma p-tau217 will likely have an important role in the future clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.2,3
Related content
Advances in blood biomarkers are transforming the diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer’s disease, helping to assess pathology, disease progression, and co-existing pathologies.
Overview of how blood-based biomarkers may support screening, diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and treatment decisions across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum.
Overview of a plasma biomarker testing pathway for symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, using p-tau217 and eMTBR-tau243 to guide diagnostic assessment and identify underlying pathology.