Aβ38 and Aβ43 do not differentiate between Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2024 Mar;11(3):806-811. doi: 10.1002/acn3.51987. Epub 2024 Jan 7.

Abstract

Differential diagnosis between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers is challenging. A recent study suggested that the addition of Aβ38 and Aβ43 to a standard AD biomarker panel (Aβ40, Aβ42, t-tau, p-tau) to improve the differential diagnosis. We tested this hypothesis in an independent German cohort of CAA and AD patients and controls using the same analytical techniques. We found excellent discrimination between AD and controls and between CAA and controls, but not between AD and CAA. Adding Aβ38 and Aβ43 to the panel did not improve the discrimination between AD and CAA.

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Alzheimer Disease* / diagnosis
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Biomarkers