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Characterizing plasma NfL in a community‐dwelling multi‐ethnic cohort: Results from the HABLE study
Author(s) -
O'Bryant Sid,
Petersen Melissa,
Hall James,
Johnson Leigh,
Yaffe Kristine,
Braskie Meredith,
Toga Arthur W.,
Rissman Robert A.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1002/alz.12404
Subject(s) - medicine , dementia , biomarker , dyslipidemia , cognitive decline , cohort , diabetes mellitus , ethnic group , gerontology , oncology , disease , endocrinology , biology , biochemistry , sociology , anthropology
Abstract Introduction No large‐scale characterizations of neurofilament light chain (NfL) have been conducted in diverse populations. Methods Baseline data were analyzed among n = 890 Mexican Americans and n = 813 non‐Hispanic Whites from the multi‐ethnic Health & Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) study. Plasma NfL was measured on the Simoa platform. Results In unadjusted models, NfL was significantly associated with age ( P < .001), hypertension ( P < .001), dyslipidemia ( P = .02), and diabetes ( P < .001). Covarying for age and sex, NfL was associated with neurodegeneration ( P < .001) and global amyloid burden levels ( P = .02) in a subset with available data. NfL levels were significantly associated with diagnostic groups (Normal Cognition [NC], mild cognitive impairment [MCI], Dementia; P < .001); however, there was no cut‐score that yielded acceptable diagnostic accuracy. NfL levels produced a sensitivity of 0.60 and specificity of 0.78 with negative predictive value of 89% for detecting amyloid positivity. Discussion Plasma NfL levels are significantly impacted by age and medical co‐morbidities that are common among older adults, which complicate its utility as a diagnostic biomarker