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Influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217 for the identification of Alzheimer's disease : A consecutive mixed memory clinic cohort study

Kjaergaard, Daniel ; Nielsen, T. Rune ; Stomrud, Erik LU orcid ; Palmqvist, Sebastian LU orcid ; Bali, Divya LU ; Dolado, Anna Orduña LU ; Janelidze, Shorena LU ; Hansson, Oskar LU orcid ; Waldemar, Gunhild and Simonsen, Anja Hviid (2025) In Alzheimer's and Dementia 21(6).
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Blood-based biomarkers have demonstrated high accuracy for identifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, the lack of representative cohorts creates a knowledge gap regarding their real-world applicability. We examined the influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (p-tau217) in identifying AD. METHODS: A total of 1170 mixed memory clinic patients originating from 91 different countries were included. Cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography supplemented the diagnostic evaluation for 539 patients. Plasma was analyzed for p-tau217. RESULTS: Plasma p-tau217 concentrations did not differ between ethnic groups, and there was no influence of... (More)

INTRODUCTION: Blood-based biomarkers have demonstrated high accuracy for identifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, the lack of representative cohorts creates a knowledge gap regarding their real-world applicability. We examined the influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (p-tau217) in identifying AD. METHODS: A total of 1170 mixed memory clinic patients originating from 91 different countries were included. Cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography supplemented the diagnostic evaluation for 539 patients. Plasma was analyzed for p-tau217. RESULTS: Plasma p-tau217 concentrations did not differ between ethnic groups, and there was no influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217. Plasma p-tau217 demonstrated strong discriminative ability for AD and AD-pathology in our ethnically diverse cohort. DISCUSSION: Our study suggests that ethnicity does not influence the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217. Nonetheless, medical conditions influencing plasma biomarkers may disproportionally affect minoritized groups because of social determinants of health. Highlights: Plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (p-tau217) was highly accurate in the identification of Alzheimer's disease. Geographic origin did not influence the precision of plasma p-tau217. Kidney function may influence p-tau217 concentrations. Representative inclusion in studies and trials should be a priority.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Alzheimer's disease, amyloid pathology, blood-based biomarkers, cerebrospinal fluid, confounders, dementia, diversity, ethnicity, phosphorylated tau, plasma biomarkers, racial groups
in
Alzheimer's and Dementia
volume
21
issue
6
article number
e70315
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • pmid:40501109
  • scopus:105008501896
ISSN
1552-5260
DOI
10.1002/alz.70315
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.
id
4c50b28b-21c8-4a63-8a88-2016c844038c
date added to LUP
2025-12-16 14:01:33
date last changed
2025-12-16 14:02:26
@article{4c50b28b-21c8-4a63-8a88-2016c844038c,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION: Blood-based biomarkers have demonstrated high accuracy for identifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, the lack of representative cohorts creates a knowledge gap regarding their real-world applicability. We examined the influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (p-tau217) in identifying AD. METHODS: A total of 1170 mixed memory clinic patients originating from 91 different countries were included. Cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography supplemented the diagnostic evaluation for 539 patients. Plasma was analyzed for p-tau217. RESULTS: Plasma p-tau217 concentrations did not differ between ethnic groups, and there was no influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217. Plasma p-tau217 demonstrated strong discriminative ability for AD and AD-pathology in our ethnically diverse cohort. DISCUSSION: Our study suggests that ethnicity does not influence the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217. Nonetheless, medical conditions influencing plasma biomarkers may disproportionally affect minoritized groups because of social determinants of health. Highlights: Plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (p-tau217) was highly accurate in the identification of Alzheimer's disease. Geographic origin did not influence the precision of plasma p-tau217. Kidney function may influence p-tau217 concentrations. Representative inclusion in studies and trials should be a priority.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kjaergaard, Daniel and Nielsen, T. Rune and Stomrud, Erik and Palmqvist, Sebastian and Bali, Divya and Dolado, Anna Orduña and Janelidze, Shorena and Hansson, Oskar and Waldemar, Gunhild and Simonsen, Anja Hviid}},
  issn         = {{1552-5260}},
  keywords     = {{Alzheimer's disease; amyloid pathology; blood-based biomarkers; cerebrospinal fluid; confounders; dementia; diversity; ethnicity; phosphorylated tau; plasma biomarkers; racial groups}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Alzheimer's and Dementia}},
  title        = {{Influence of ethnicity on the diagnostic accuracy of plasma p-tau217 for the identification of Alzheimer's disease : A consecutive mixed memory clinic cohort study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/alz.70315}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/alz.70315}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}