QuIC Test for Parkinson Disease?

Preliminary evidence suggests that the α-synuclein RT-QuIC test in LRRK2 Parkinson disease might help future selection of candidates for clinical trials.

Inherited Parkinson disease (IPD) is most often caused by mutations in the gene for leucine-rich kinase 2 (LRRK2), such as p.G2019S. A possible biomarker for p.G2019S is α-synuclein. To test for this association, investigators used real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) to detect α-synuclein aggregates in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 15 p.G2019S carriers, 10 patients with idiopathic PD, 16 p.G2019S nonmanifesting carriers (NMC), and 10 healthy controls.

RT-QuIC had 90% sensitivity and 80% specificity for IPD. RT-QuIC was positive in fewer LRRK2 p.G2019S carriers (40%) than IPD patients, but more than in healthy controls (20%) or LRRK2 NMC (19%). LRRK2-PD patients with positive and negative RT-QuIC did not have any clinical differ…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)