Using Blood Tests to Improve Early and Accurate Diagnosis of Alzheimers Disease in Memory Clinic Patients

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the clinical impact and diagnostic usefulness of blood-based biomarkers BBMs for Alzheimers disease AD in patients attending a memory clinic with cognitive complaints. Since dementia diagnoses are often delayed and not specified by underlying pathology, the study focuses on how BBMs might improve early and accurate diagnosis, especially with upcoming disease-modifying treatments for AD requiring precise identification. The study is interventional and randomized, conducted by Alzheimercentrum Amsterdam. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving usual care and diagnostics without disclosure of BBM results, and the other receiving usual care plus BBM results shared with the physician who may disclose them to the patient. The BBM tests include plasma p-tau217 and neurofilament light chain results measured by specific assays. The study follows participants from enrollment until a final diagnosis is made, which can take up to 100 months. During the study, participants will undergo memory clinic assessments and usual diagnostic procedures. Researchers will measure the time to final diagnosis, any changes in diagnosis or physician confidence after BBM results, and differences in patient management such as use of additional tests, follow-up duration, referrals, and medication prescriptions. The study tracks these outcomes over an extended period to assess how BBMs influence diagnosis and care in routine clinical practice.

The BRidge Towards Implementation of Blood-based Biomarkers to Enable Early and Accurate Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease