Can CSF biomarkers or pre-treatment progression rate predict response to cholinesterase inhibitor treatment in Alzheimer's disease?
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to investigate possible predictors of response to cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) treatment, including pre-treatment progression rates and levels of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. A secondary objective was to evaluate whether treatment with ChEI changed progression.


METHODS
Out-patient individuals (n = 191) with the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease received ChEI treatment and were part of the Swedish Alzheimer Treatment Study (SATS), a prospective, longitudinal, non-randomised study in a routine clinical setting. Patients were assessed with MMSE, ADAS-cog and a global rating (CIBIC) at baseline, 2 months and every 6 months for a total period of 3 years. The following potential predictors of treatment response were investigated: age, gender, APOE epsilon 4 carrier, education, duration of disease, cognitive level, pre-treatment progression rate (in MMSE) and the levels of the CSF biomarkers A beta 42, T-tau and P-tau.


RESULTS
Fast pre-treatment progression rate was a predictor of treatment response even after adjusting for baseline severity, another positive predictor of response. Patients in the fastest quartile of pre-treatment progression rates were significantly more prone to be responders at 2 months (adjusted OR 6.6, p = 0.001) and 6 months (adjusted OR 10.4, p < 0.001) than those in the slowest progressing quartile. Moreover, the linearity of progression was significantly changed by ChEI treatment at 6 months compared to the pre-treatment period.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of pre-treatment progression was the most consistent positive predictor of ChEI treatment response in the routine clinical setting. The progression rate was significantly changed by ChEI treatment.
Wallin
A K
AK
Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. asa.k.wallin@skane.se
Hansson
O
O
Blennow
K
K
Londos
E
E
Minthon
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D015415:Biomarkers; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C538897:amyloid beta-protein (40-42); D016875:tau Proteins