Randox Labs Introduces Alzheimer’s Genetic Test
The Irish company Randox Laboratories says it has developed a test that can detect an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease in patients before symptoms appear. About 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with or are believed to have Alzheimer’s, a disease which leads to deposits of protein on neurons and robs patients of memory and other brain functions and eventually kills them. Incidence of the disease has risen in recent decades as the U.S. population continues to age and live longer. Treatments for dementia- causing diseases are extremely expensive, costing roughly $236 billion a year. Most sufferers of Alzheimer’s are not diagnosed until they are symptomatic. Test Detects Gene Mutation Leading to Alzheimer’s The test uses a microchip in blood testing to detect mutation of the ApoE4 gene, a variant in protein processing. Patients that inherit the gene from one parent have a three times greater than average risk of developing Alzheimer’s; the risk climbs to as high as 12 times above average if patients inherit the mutation from both parents. Results of a trial of the test, which is not yet available in the U.S., were compared in 384 patients against a standard molecular test that confirms the presence […]
The Irish company Randox Laboratories says it has developed a test that can detect an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease in patients before symptoms appear.
About 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with or are believed to have Alzheimer's, a disease which leads to deposits of protein on neurons and robs patients of memory and other brain functions and eventually kills them. Incidence of the disease has risen in recent decades as the U.S. population continues to age and live longer. Treatments for dementia- causing diseases are extremely expensive, costing roughly $236 billion a year. Most sufferers of Alzheimer's are not diagnosed until they are symptomatic.
Test Detects Gene Mutation Leading to Alzheimer's
The test uses a microchip in blood testing to detect mutation of the ApoE4 gene, a variant in protein processing. Patients that inherit the gene from one parent have a three times greater than average risk of developing Alzheimer's; the risk climbs to as high as 12 times above average if patients inherit the mutation from both parents.
Results of a trial of the test, which is not yet available in the U.S., were compared in 384 patients against a standard molecular test that confirms the presence of Alzheimer's. Patients that tested for an elevated risk were in complete concordance with the results from the molecular test.
"Pairing this test with medical and family history for risk of Alzheimer's disease has the real potential to advance personalized medicine," says Randox research scientist Emma Harte. "This fast, accurate testing will allow doctors and patients to make more informed choices earlier to slow the potential progress of Alzheimer's. This type of testing is important in our quest to understand and diagnose Alzheimer's and empower patients to understand risks, consider medication, and even make early lifestyle changes."
The findings of the study were presented at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry's annual conference in Philadelphia.
Takeaway: Early trials indicate that a lab test being developed in Europe may be effective in early detection of patients at an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease, which would represent a significant treatment and economic breakthrough.
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