Summary.
This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau-protein, amyloid-ß-peptide 1-42 (Aß1-42), ApoE-genotype and the degree of cognitive decline as diagnostic markers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Data was obtained from 105 AD patients and 68 controls.
Median CSF-tau levels were increased (512 pg/ml vs. 145 pg/ml, p<0.001) and Aß1-42-levels were decreased (238.5 pg/ml vs. 310 pg/ml, p<0.001) in AD patients compared to controls. A weak correlation was found between CSF-Aß1-42 and MMSE score (r=.245). Within all subjects, a correlation of CSF-Aß1-42 (r=−.337) and CSF-tau (r=.384) with age was found. The combination of CSF-tau levels and MMSE revealed the highest sensitivity (92%) and specificity (87%).
In summary, CSF-tau was a useful biological marker to discriminate AD from normal aging, neurological and psychiatric disorders. CSF-Aß1-42 showed no additional benefit in discriminating patients from controls but might be useful for tracking the severity of the disease.
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Received January 20, 2003; accepted April 29, 2003 Published online July 30, 2003
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Ganzer, S., Arlt, S., Schoder, V. et al. CSF-tau, CSF-Aß1-42, ApoE-genotype and clinical parameters in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: combination of CSF-tau and MMSE yields highest sensitivity and specificity. J Neural Transm 110, 1149–1160 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-003-0017-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-003-0017-7