Utility of Three Serum Biomarkers for Identifying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Only the biomarker of serum neurofilament light chain levels, as assayed by four available tests, performed well in differentiating ALS from other conditions and predicting mortality.

Accurate diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disease, can be challenging owing to heterogeneous presentations. Using currently available immunoassays, researchers determined diagnostic performance of three blood biomarkers — neurofilament light chain (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181) — implicated in neurodegenerative conditions.

The 209 participants from a single specialty center presented with suspected ALS. Seventy patients turned out to have other diagnoses (most commonly, lower motor neuron disease, 16%; primary lateral sclerosis, 11%; neuropathy, 10%) and formed the control group. ALS patients were older than patients without ALS…

Reviewing Author

Leana Doherty, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNeurohospitalist Society; InterACTN (Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology)

Leana Doherty, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNeurohospitalist Society; InterACTN (Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology)

Utility of Three Serum Biomarkers for Identifying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

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Reviewing Author