Impact of Blood Tests on Wait Times and Treatment in Alzheimer Disease: Soeren Mattke, MD, DSc

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

"I think the blood test can truly revolutionize the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and also the treatment monitoring."

As therapies for Alzheimer disease (AD) become more available to patients, studies show a rise in patient concerns about wait times in their diagnostic journey because of the limited number of AD specialists and PET scanners. A new study revealed that using high-performing blood tests could identify potential patients with AD much earlier in primary care settings, ultimately allowing greater exposure to specialists to see if they are eligible for new treatments.^1,2 In the study, investigators modeled the population aged 55 years and older from 2023 to 2032 in the U.S., assuming 25% of all had never been assessed for cognitive decline, and 5% who were previously cognitively normal, would experience a brief cognitive test.

Presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, July 28 to August 1, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by lead author Soeren Mattke, MD, DSc, and colleagues, a Markov model was used for estimating wait times among patients eligible for AD treatment. If the patient had early-stage cognitive impairment and a positive AD blood test, 80% would be referred to an AD specialist. The specialist then would assess the patient and order biomarker testing for 90% of those with confirmed early-stage cognitive impairment. The biomarker testing included cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing (10%) and PET imaging (90%). Patients would then return to the specialist to discuss the tests’ results and determine the next steps for treatment.

In a recent interview, Mattke, director of the University of Southern California (USC) Brain Health Observatory, sat down with NeurologyLive^® to discuss how the new blood tests for AD compare with current diagnostic methods like PET scans and CSF analysis in terms of accuracy as well as accessibility. He also talked about the potential effects on patient outcomes if future wait times for Alzheimer diagnosis are significantly reduced using these blood tests. In addition, Mattke, who also serves as a research professor of economics at USC, spoke about the challenges that might arise when implementing these blood tests in primary care settings, and how they might be addressed.

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REFERENCES
1. Mattke S, et al. Impact of a High-Performing Blood Test on Wait Times for Determination of Eligibility for a Disease-Modifying Alzheimer’s Treatment in the U.S. Presented at: 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference; July 18 to August 1; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Abstract 91612.
2. Alzheimer’s Disease Blood Tests Could Improve Diagnosis in Primary Care, Speed Recruiting for Research, and Reduce Wait Times. News Release. Alzheimer’s Association. Published July 28, 2024. Accessed August 6, 2024. https://aaic.alz.org/releases-2024/blood-tests-alzheimers-biomarkers.asp