Source of this article and featured image is Wired Science. Description and key fact are generated by Codevision AI system.
The US Food and Drug Administration approved a new blood test for Alzheimer’s, developed by Roche, which measures a specific form of the tau protein in the blood. This test, called Elecsys pTau181, is the first approved for community screening and can help identify patients who may need further testing. It has a high negative predictive value, making it useful in low-prevalence areas. However, it cannot definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s and often leaves patients in a gray area of uncertainty. Simone Valesini, the author, explains the importance of these tests in the context of new Alzheimer’s treatments that can slow disease progression.
Key facts
- The FDA approved a new blood test for Alzheimer’s called Elecs, which measures a specific form of the tau protein.
- This test is the first approved for community screening and can help identify patients who may need further testing.
- It has a high negative predictive value, making it useful in areas with low prevalence of amyloid disease.
- However, it cannot definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s and often leaves patients in a gray area of uncertainty.
- These tests are important for selecting patients for new Alzheimer’s treatments that can slow disease progression.
TAGS:
#Alzheimer's #Amyloid #Blood Test #Dementia #Diagnosis #FDA Approval #healthcare #medical innovation #Medical Testing #Tau Protein
