CSF biomarkers in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with known pathology.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the diagnostic value of CSF biomarkers in patients with known pathology due to frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).


BACKGROUND
It is important to distinguish FTLD from other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease (AD), but this may be difficult clinically because of atypical presentations.


METHODS
Patients with FTLD (n = 30) and AD (n = 19) were identified at autopsy or on the basis of genetic testing at University of Pennsylvania and Erasmus University Medical Center. CSF was obtained during a diagnostic lumbar puncture and was analyzed using assays for total tau and amyloid-beta 1-42 (A beta(42)). Patients also were assessed with a brief neuropsychological battery.


RESULTS
CSF total tau level and the ratio of CSF total tau to A beta(42) (tau/A beta(42)) were significantly lower in FTLD than in AD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses confirmed that the CSF tau/A beta(42) ratio is sensitive and specific at discriminating between FTLD and AD, and is more successful at this than CSF total tau alone. Although some neuropsychological measures are significantly different in autopsy-proven FTLD and AD, combining these neuropsychological measures with CSF biomarkers did not improve the ability to distinguish FTLD from AD.


CONCLUSIONS
The ratio of CSF tau/A beta(42) is a sensitive and specific biomarker at discriminating frontotemporal lobar degeneration from Alzheimer disease in patients with known pathology.
Bian
H
H
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Van Swieten
J C
JC
Leight
S
S
Massimo
L
L
Wood
E
E
Forman
M
M
Moore
P
P
de Koning
I
I
Clark
C M
CM
Rosso
S
S
Trojanowski
J
J
Lee
V M-Y
VM
Grossman
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D016875:tau Proteins