A blood biomarker test for brain amyloid impacts the clinical evaluation of cognitive impairment

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2023 Oct;10(10):1738-1748. doi: 10.1002/acn3.51863. Epub 2023 Aug 7.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine clinicians' patient selection and result interpretation of a clinically validated mass spectrometry test measuring amyloid beta and ApoE blood biomarkers combined with patient age (PrecivityAD® blood test) in symptomatic patients evaluated for Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other causes of cognitive decline.

Methods: The Quality Improvement and Clinical Utility PrecivityAD Clinician Survey (QUIP I, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05477056) was a prospective, single-arm cohort study among 366 patients evaluated by neurologists and other cognitive specialists. Participants underwent blood biomarker testing and received an amyloid probability score (APS), indicating the likelihood of a positive result on an amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The primary study outcomes were appropriateness of patient selection as well as result interpretation associated with PrecivityAD blood testing.

Results: A 95% (347/366) concordance rate was noted between clinicians' patient selection and the test's intended use criteria. In the final analysis including these 347 patients (median age 75 years, 56% women), prespecified test result categories incorporated 133 (38%) low APS, 162 (47%) high APS, and 52 (15%) intermediate APS patients. Clinicians' pretest and posttest AD diagnosis probability changed from 58% to 23% in low APS patients and 71% to 89% in high APS patients (p < 0.0001). Anti-AD drug therapy decreased by 46% in low APS patients (p < 0.0001) and increased by 57% in high APS patients (p < 0.0001).

Interpretation: These findings demonstrate the clinical utility of the PrecivityAD blood test in clinical care and may have added relevance as new AD therapies are introduced.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease* / complications
  • Alzheimer Disease* / diagnostic imaging
  • Amyloid
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Biomarkers
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / diagnosis
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Hematologic Tests
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid
  • Biomarkers

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05477056

Grants and funding

This work was funded by C2N Diagnostics.