A new finger-prick test for Alzheimer's disease has shown similar accuracy to traditional venous blood sampling techniques. The corresponding study was presented on October 30th at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference.
P-tau217 is a key biomarker in Alzheimer's disease, and is used to diagnose the condition. Traditional P-tau217 venous sampling methods, however, come with several challenges, including being invasive, dependent on centrifuges, and requiring ultra-low temperature freezers. Simplified means of diagnosis could aid early diagnosis and, thus, early treatment.
In a new study, researchers assessed a new finger prick test for p-tau217. The test involves collecting one or two drops of blood from a finger prick onto a card which separates blood cells from plasma. Once the card has dried after around 15 minutes, it is sent by regular mail to a lab for analysis.
A total of 203 people underwent the finger prick test at one of five memory clinics in Europe. Their samples were then mailed to the neurochemistry department at the University of Gothenburg for analysis.
"The simple capillary blood test works almost as well as venous samples, but unlike traditional blood tests, this new test does not require transport on dry ice. This could significantly increase accessibility to Alzheimer's testing in countries and regions lacking the infrastructure needed for high-sensitivity analyses," said Hanna Huber, PhD of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, in a press release.
While promising, the researchers behind the study caution that the test is not quite ready for clinical use and requires more research.
"This finger-prick blood testing technology for Alzheimer's biomarkers still has to be validated more broadly, but it is very promising. Advancements in technology and practice demonstrate the simplicity, transportability, and diagnostic value of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's," Rebecca M. Edelmayer, PhD, Alzheimer's Association vice president of scientific engagement, told Medscape Medical News.
Sources: Neuroscience News, Medscape Medical News
