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📃Scientific paper: Assessing the clinical meaningfulness of slowing CDR-SB progression with disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer disease Abstract: INTRODUCTION: For many patients and caregivers, a major goal of disease-modifying treatments (DMT) for Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia is to extend independence in instrumental and basic activities of daily living (IADLs and BADLs). The goal of this study was to estimate the effect of treatments on the time remaining independent in IADLs and BADLs. METHODS: Participants at the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center were selected who were potentially eligible for recent DMT trials: age ≥ 60 years at baseline, clinical diagnosis of very mild or mild AD dementia (global Clinical Dementia Rating® (CDR®) score 0.5 or 1), biomarker confirmation of amyloid pathology, and at least one follow-up CDR assessment within 5 years. For IADLs, a subset of the Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) was examined that rated the degree of independence in the following: paying bills, driving, remembering medications and appointments, and preparing meals. For BADLs, the Personal Care domain of the CDR was used. Mixed-effects logistic and ordinal regression models were used to examine the relationship between CDR Sum Boxes (CDR-SB) and the individual functional outcomes and their components. The change in CDR-SB over time was estimated with linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: 282 participants were followed for an average of 2.9 years (SD 1.3 years). For 50% of individuals, loss of independence in IADLs occurred at CDR-SB>4.5 and in BADLs at CDR-SB>11.5. For individuals with a base... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/YoS ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

📃Scientific paper: Assessing the clinical meaningfulness of slowing CDR-SB progression with disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer disease Abstract: INTRODUCTION: For many patients and caregivers, a major goal of disease-modifying treatments (DMT) for Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia is to extend independence in instrumental and basic activities of daily living (IADLs and BADLs). The goal of this study was to estimate the effect of treatments on the time remaining independent in IADLs and BADLs. METHODS: Participants at the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center were selected who were potentially eligible for recent DMT trials: age ≥ 60 years at baseline, clinical diagnosis of very mild or mild AD dementia (global Clinical Dementia Rating® (CDR®) score 0.5 or 1), biomarker confirmation of amyloid pathology, and at least one follow-up CDR assessment within 5 years. For IADLs, a subset of the Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) was examined that rated the degree of independence in the following: paying bills, driving, remembering medications and appointments, and preparing meals. For BADLs, the Personal Care domain of the CDR was used. Mixed-effects logistic and ordinal regression models were used to examine the relationship between CDR Sum Boxes (CDR-SB) and the individual functional outcomes and their components. The change in CDR-SB over time was estimated with linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: 282 participants were followed for an average of 2.9 years (SD 1.3 years). For 50% of individuals, loss of independence in IADLs occurred at CDR-SB>4.5 and in BADLs at CDR-SB>11.5. For individuals with a base... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/YoS ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

📃Scientific paper: Assessing the clinical meaningfulness of slowing CDR-SB progression with disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer disease Abstract: INTRODUCTION: For many patients and caregivers, a major goal of disease-modifying treatments (DMT) for Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia is to extend independence in instrumental and basic activities of daily living (IADLs and BADLs). The goal of this study was to estimate the effect of treatments on the time remaining independent in IADLs and BADLs. METHODS: Participants at the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center were selected who were potentially eligible for recent DMT trials: age ≥ 60 years at baseline, clinical diagnosis of very mild or mild AD dementia (global Clinical Dementia Rating® (CDR®) score 0.5 or 1), biomarker confirmation of amyloid pathology, and at least one follow-up CDR assessment within 5 years. For IADLs, a subset of the Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) was examined that rated the degree of independence in the following: paying bills, driving, remembering medications and appointments, and preparing meals. For BADLs, the Personal Care domain of the CDR was used. Mixed-effects logistic and ordinal regression models were used to examine the relationship between CDR Sum Boxes (CDR-SB) and the individual functional outcomes and their components. The change in CDR-SB over time was estimated with linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: 282 participants were followed for an average of 2.9 years (SD 1.3 years). For 50% of individuals, loss of independence in IADLs occurred at CDR-SB>4.5 and in BADLs at CDR-SB>11.5. For individuals with a base... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/YoS ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

Important publication: Projected Annual Lecanemab Treatment Eligibility in an Irish Regional Specialist Memory Clinic In the face of significant positive developments in terms of disease modifying therapies for Alzheimer's dementia, Prof. Seán Kennelly (DTI Co-Lead) and Colleagues at Tallaght University Hospital evaluated whether patients at a Regional Specialist Memory Clinic (RSMC) would be eligible (using Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC)) for treatment with one such therapy. Their goal, to see how many undifferentiated clinical patients attending the RSMC or a subset of patients with positive biomarkers for AD could qualify for therapy according to these criteria. Additionally, they compared how clinical trial eligibility rates differ when applying clinical trial criteria across the two groups. This work is particularly important for two reasons. Firstly, timely identification of eligible patients is key to ensuring that these new treatments are delivered during the optimum therapeutic window and secondly, appropriate clinical service design will hinge on improved understanding of future demands for treatment. Access this important paper here: https://lnkd.in/gjFwbcK4

Alzheimer’s Disease Blood Tests Could Improve Diagnosis in Primary Care, Speed Recruiting for Research and Reduce Wait Times. Dementia is often underdiagnosed. Blood tests for Alzheimer’s are demonstrating in research that they could significantly improve a clinician’s accuracy and confidence, provide greater accessibility and a platform for enhanced communication. Blood tests that show the most promise for identifying Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain assess phosphorylated tau (p-tau) protein, an Alzheimer’s biomarker that can build up before patients show signs of cognitive impairment. The p-tau217 test also predicts the likelihood of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are another biomarker for Alzheimer’s and the target for recently approved treatments. https://lnkd.in/gTW_wPBH

Paula Span, writing for The New York Times, discusses new criteria proposed by an Alzheimer's Association® working group that could significantly change how Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed. Currently, diagnosing Alzheimer’s involves an extended process including medical history, symptom discussion, and tests like PET scans or MRIs to detect amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the proposed guidelines suggest a simpler approach, focusing on biomarkers that indicate the disease's biological presence. These biomarkers could include a blood test for amyloid, which some clinics already offer. The working group suggests that having biomarker evidence of amyloid in the brain would indicate the disease, even if the person shows no symptoms. Critics argue that this approach is premature, citing concerns about overdiagnosis and the potential for unnecessary treatments. Despite these criticisms, some experts believe that early diagnosis could lead to preventive treatments and lifestyle changes that might delay the onset of symptoms. However, the debate continues as to whether these new criteria are ready for widespread adoption. #Alzheimer's #Diagnosis #Biomarkers #ENDALZ https://lnkd.in/gs-69qY2

📃Scientific paper: Disease progression model anchored around clinical diagnosis in longitudinal cohorts: example of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia Abstract: International audience; Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are characterized by multiple and progressive anatomo-clinical changes including accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, brain atrophy and severe cognitive impairment. Understanding the sequence and timing of these changes is of primary importance to gain insight into the disease natural history and ultimately allow earlier diagnosis. Yet, modeling changes over disease course from cohort data is challenging as the usual timescales (time since inclusion, chronological age) are inappropriate and time-to-clinical diagnosis is available on small subsamples of participants with short follow-up durations prior to diagnosis. One solution to circumvent this challenge is to define the disease time as a latent variable. We developed a multivariate mixed model approach that realigns individual trajectories into the latent disease time to describe disease progression. In contrast with the existing literature, our methodology exploits the clinical diagnosis information as a partially observed and approximate reference to guide the estimation of the latent disease time. The model estimation was carried out in the Bayesian Framework using Stan. We applied the methodology to the MEMENTO study, a French multicentric clinic-based cohort of 2186 participants with 5-year intensive follow-up. Repeated measures of 12 ADRD markers stemmed from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), brain imaging and cognitiv... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/1gxRG ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

📃Scientific paper: Disease progression model anchored around clinical diagnosis in longitudinal cohorts: example of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia Abstract: International audience; Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are characterized by multiple and progressive anatomo-clinical changes including accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, brain atrophy and severe cognitive impairment. Understanding the sequence and timing of these changes is of primary importance to gain insight into the disease natural history and ultimately allow earlier diagnosis. Yet, modeling changes over disease course from cohort data is challenging as the usual timescales (time since inclusion, chronological age) are inappropriate and time-to-clinical diagnosis is available on small subsamples of participants with short follow-up durations prior to diagnosis. One solution to circumvent this challenge is to define the disease time as a latent variable. We developed a multivariate mixed model approach that realigns individual trajectories into the latent disease time to describe disease progression. In contrast with the existing literature, our methodology exploits the clinical diagnosis information as a partially observed and approximate reference to guide the estimation of the latent disease time. The model estimation was carried out in the Bayesian Framework using Stan. We applied the methodology to the MEMENTO study, a French multicentric clinic-based cohort of 2186 participants with 5-year intensive follow-up. Repeated measures of 12 ADRD markers stemmed from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), brain imaging and cognitiv... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/1gxRG ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

📃Scientific paper: Disease progression model anchored around clinical diagnosis in longitudinal cohorts: example of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia Abstract: International audience; Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are characterized by multiple and progressive anatomo-clinical changes including accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, brain atrophy and severe cognitive impairment. Understanding the sequence and timing of these changes is of primary importance to gain insight into the disease natural history and ultimately allow earlier diagnosis. Yet, modeling changes over disease course from cohort data is challenging as the usual timescales (time since inclusion, chronological age) are inappropriate and time-to-clinical diagnosis is available on small subsamples of participants with short follow-up durations prior to diagnosis. One solution to circumvent this challenge is to define the disease time as a latent variable. We developed a multivariate mixed model approach that realigns individual trajectories into the latent disease time to describe disease progression. In contrast with the existing literature, our methodology exploits the clinical diagnosis information as a partially observed and approximate reference to guide the estimation of the latent disease time. The model estimation was carried out in the Bayesian Framework using Stan. We applied the methodology to the MEMENTO study, a French multicentric clinic-based cohort of 2186 participants with 5-year intensive follow-up. Repeated measures of 12 ADRD markers stemmed from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), brain imaging and cognitiv... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/1gxRG ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you. #alzheimer #science #health

UCLA researchers have identified a potential blood biomarker that could detect dementia before symptoms appear. This breakthrough could lead to early diagnosis and intervention, potentially improving outcomes for individuals at risk of developing dementia.  According to first author Kyle Kern, the identified blood biomarker could allow for the detection of dementia well before clinical symptoms emerge.