Up to half of all people living with Alzheimer’s disease in Ireland remain undiagnosed. Now, a new blood test may be able to convert patient care, allowing better diagnosis, previous interventions and more targeted therapies.
Researchers at Trinity College of Dublin, the Institute of Memory and Knowledge of TallaGHT and St. James Hospital of Dublin explore the ability of a new blood test, Plasma P-Tau217, to detect Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This test could potentially replace the current diagnostic method, a lumbar perforation/spine (which is invasive and poses risks and challenges) over half of patients with early symptoms, thus allowing more patients to be diagnosed with more accuracy and with greater performance.
The study is published in the journal Alzheimer’s & dementia: Diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of the disease today [Friday, 14th February 2025].
In Ireland, over 60,000 people live with dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease representing about 70% of cases. In order to make precise diagnosis, biomarkers are currently measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) taken using a diagnostic perforation process (LP). A precise clinical biological diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is valued by patients and AIDS future medical care. From those in Ireland who today live with Alzheimer’s disease, to half they have no official diagnosis, underlining 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 to examine the performance of “real world” one of the leading automated blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease, P-Tau217 in plasma, in patients with mild symptoms undergoing a special service assessment memory. 148 Patients who attended the samples of the University of Tallaght (TUH) gave generous blood samples and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at the time of their LP, allowing researchers to directly compare new blood tests with established CSF biomarkers. Basically, this was done 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 as well as the reliability between different laboratories.
The Trinity College study was a collaboration between the Department of Immunology at St James’s Hospital (led by chief medical scientist Dr Jean Dunne & Consultant Immunologist Professor Niall Conlon) and the Institute Medicine and Professor Seán Kennelly, Director). The study found that plasma P-Tau217 measurement using a fully automated system was> 90% as accurate as the results resulting from the LP. Incorporating blood tests on clinical routes could possibly avoid the need for more than half of the diagnostic LPS. This has a clear impact on the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s early disease.
Of their results, the research team believes that this new blood test could replace more than half of the 150-200 LP diagnostic procedures they perform today at the TallaGHT Institute of Memory and Knowledge each year.
Dr. Jean Dunne, Head of Medical Scientist, Department of Immunology, Agios Iakovos Hospital and Institute of Translation Medical Medicine (TTMI) said:
“This blood test is not currently available in Ireland and the findings of this study will give support to make it available in the future. support from hospital management.
Using this automated analyst, St James’s scientists will be able to provide a reliable and reproductive effect of diagnostic tests. Ensuring the quality of the diagnostic laboratory involves comparing the results achieved with those internationally reported. All this research will benefit the patient and clinical groups and combine research and diagnostic expertise to deliver a world -class, focused on the patient. ”
Dr. Adam Dyer, special secretary in Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Lecturer in Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin said:
“This study brings us one step closer to the use of blood diagnostic tests, such as P-Tau217 in the plasma, to help with the clinical biological diagnosis of early Alzheimer Fully automated technology in clinical laboratories and used samples from a “real world” clinical group.
Professor Seán Kennelly, TallaGHT Institute of Memory and Knowledge at TallaGHT University Hospital & Clinical Associate Professor Trinity College Dublin, said:
“Our research, conducted in collaboration with colleagues by Trinity College Dublin and St. James Dublin Hospital, represents another important step forward in the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Demonstrating the clinical utility of biological markers with Blood basis, we move closer to a future, where the diagnosis of this situation is less invasive, more accessible and available to a wider population. Promoting research that improves the lives of those affected by Alzheimer’s other cognitive disorders.
Source:
Magazine report:
Dyer, ah, et al. (2025) Clinical performance of the fully automated P-Tau217 Test to Lumipulse Plasma in mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia. Alzheimer’s & dementia: Diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of the disease. Doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70080.
