A 7-protein plasma panel (measured via Nucleic Linked Immuno-Sandwich Assay) was developed and validated across two independent cohorts (BioFINDER, n=431; TRIAD, n=129) to improve identification of advanced neocortical tau pathology (Braak stage V/VI by tau PET) in amyloid-positive individuals spanning cognitively unimpaired to dementia, using cross-sectional data collected 2017–2024.
The 7-protein panel outperformed p-tau217 alone in identifying Braak V/VI tau PET uptake in both cohorts (AUC 0.92–0.94 vs. 0.86–0.88; DeLong P < .001), and reduced the intermediate-risk (indeterminate) classification rate by 14.7%–21.0% in the validation cohort.
Cross-sectional design prevents causal or longitudinal conclusions. The full-text was not accessible for complete methodological review. The panel was derived and validated only in amyloid-positive individuals, limiting generalizability to unselected or amyloid-negative populations.
A 7-protein plasma panel may offer a scalable blood-based alternative to tau PET for staging advanced tau pathology in amyloid-positive patients, which is relevant for anti-amyloid therapy selection and anti-tau trial enrollment. Clinicians should note this is still observational and not yet validated in routine care settings.
