Up to half of all people who live with Alzheimer’s disease in Ireland, will not remain diagnosed. Now a new blood test can have the potential to transform patient care, making a better diagnosis, earlier interventions and more targeted treatments possible.
Researchers from the Trinity College Dublin, the Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition and St James’s Hospital, Dublin, examine the ability of a new blood test, Plasma P-Tau217, to detect Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This test could possibly replace the current diagnostic method, a lumbar puncture/spinal tap (which is invasive and yields risks and challenges) in more than half of patients with early symptoms, so that more patients can be diagnosed more accurately and with a larger one Efficiency.
The study is published in the magazine Alzheimer and Dementia: Diagnosis, assessment and disease monitoring Today [Friday, 14th February 2025].
More than 60,000 people with dementia live in Ireland, with Alzheimer’s disease for about 70% of the cases. To make an accurate diagnosis possible, biomarkers are currently measured in cerebrospinal liquid (CSF) obtained using a diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP) procedure. An accurate clinical biological diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is appreciated by patients and future medical care. Of those in Ireland who currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, a maximum of half have no formal diagnosis, which emphasizes the need for improved diagnostic methods that are accurate and can be used on a scale.
The study is one of the first in Europe that “Real-World” performance of one of the leading automated blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease, Plasma P-TAU217, investigates patients with mild symptoms undergoing assessment in a specialized memory service. 148 patients who attend the Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) donated generous blood and cerebrospinal liquid (CSF) samples at the time of their LP, allowing researchers to directly compare new blood tests with established CSF biomarkers. It is crucial that this was performed using fully automated technology (Lumipulse®), which already exists in clinical diagnostic laboratories. The use of a fully automated system increases reliability over time in the laboratory and the reliability between different laboratories.
The Trinity College Study was a collaboration between the Immunology Department in St James’s Hospital (led by Chief Medical Scientist Dr. Jean Dunne & Consultant Immunologist Professor Niall Conlon) and the Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition in Tallaght University Hospital (Dr. Dr. Dyer , Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar, Specialist Registrar in Geriatric Medicine & Professor Seán Kennelly, director). The study showed that measuring plasma P-TAU217 with the help of a fully automated system,> 90% was as accurate as results obtained from LP. Integrating the blood test in clinical routes may prevent the need for more than half of the diagnostic LPs. This has clear implications for the diagnosis and management of the early Alzheimer’s disease.
From their results, the research team is of the opinion that this new blood test could replace more than half of the 150-200 diagnostic LP procedures that they are currently performing every year in the Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition.
Dr. Jean Dunne, Chief Medical Scientist, Department of Immunology, St James’s Hospital and Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI) said:
“This blood test is currently not available in Ireland and the findings from this study will provide support to making available in the future. This ‘translation’ of a study into a diagnostic test depends on the scientists, the clinical teams and the support of Hospital management.
With the help of this automated analyzer, the scientists from St James’s can provide a reliable and reproducible diagnostic test result. The quality assurance carried out in the diagnostic laboratory includes comparison of the results achieved with those internationally reported. All this research will benefit the patient and clinical teams and combines the research and diagnostic expertise to provide a patient-oriented service of world class. “
Dr. Adam Dyer, specialized registrar in Geriatric Medicine & Clinical Lecturer in Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin said:
“This study takes us a step closer to the use of diagnostic blood tests, such as Plasma P-TAU217, to help with the clinical biological diagnosis of Alzheimer’s early disease. It is important that this study assessed Plasma P-TAU217 with the help of complete Automated technology that is already available in clinical laboratories and used samples from a “Real-World” clinical cohort.
Professor Seán Kennelly, Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition in Tallaght University Hospital & Clinical University Professor, Trinity College Dublin, said:
“Our research, conducted in collaboration with colleagues from Trinity College Dublin and St. James Hospital Dublin, represents a further step forward in the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. By demonstrating the clinical use of blood -based biomarkers, we are In motion closer to a future where the diagnosis of this condition is less invasive, more accessible and available for a wider population, we are very grateful for all our patients who have contributed to this project and continue to promote research Life improves those affected by Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders.
Source:
Journal Reference:
Verver, ah, et al .. (2025) Clinical performance of the fully automated Lumipulse Plasma P-TAU217 Test in mild cognitive disorders and mild dementia. Alzheimer and Dementia: Diagnosis, assessment and disease monitoring. doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70080.