Other considerations
Dr. Mielke added that it will be important to account for these and other factors when applying biomarkers in community settings, but they should also be considered in the context of health care disparities. Stroke, MI, and CKD are more common in African Americans, for example, suggesting that there could be racial differences in biomarker levels, though she said the difference in biomarker levels would be more likely attributable to the underlying comorbidities than race per se. “As shown, these factors can affect the consideration of an accuracy of cut points for clinical use. So I think future discussions will be needed as to how best to determine the cut points, and how to base them off of (different) populations,” said Dr. Mielke.
These sorts of refinements are important, according to Christopher Weber, PhD, who was asked for comment. “We have learned the importance of an early and accurate diagnosis. The blood test is a biomarker that does detect the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease sometimes up to decades before symptoms even appear,” said Dr. Weber, who is director of Global Science Initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association.
But “there’s a lot more that we need to learn regarding when exactly to use them, who they’re appropriate for. And I think validation is the key to these blood biomarkers,” Dr. Weber added.
Dr. Mielke has been a consultant with the Brain Protection Company and Biogen. Dr. Weber has no relevant financial disclosures.