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At the 68th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, researchers presented data from a new blood test to help identify which patients are at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The biochip-based test, which could perform multiple tests on one blood sample, demonstrated it was as accurate as existing DNA molecular tests.
The test detects a protein in the blood produced by a specific variation of the apolipoprotein gene (ApoE4), which is associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The patient’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases 3-fold when the ApoE4 gene is inherited from one parent, and is increased 8–12 fold when inherited from both parents.
The accuracy of the biochip test was evaluated in 384 samples that were compared to those from a standard molecular diagnostic test. Researchers from Randox Laboratories and the Medical University of Vienna found that results from the 2 tests were the same. The biochip test is faster and more affordable than the conventional DNA test with results available in 3 hours.
Emma C. Harte, PhD, from Randox Laboratories, added, “Pairing this test with medical and family history for risk of Alzheimer’s disease has the real potential to advance personalized medicine.”
For more information visit aacc.org.
