Diagnostic value of blood p-tau subtypes in Alzheimer's disease progression and pathology: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin NeurosciAug 22, 2026 (epub)
Peng Zhang, Delong Huang, Xingyu Lu et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic value of blood phosphorylated-tau (p-tau) subtypes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression and pathology. The analysis found that p-tau217 demonstrates superior diagnostic performance compared to p-tau181 across various stages of AD, particularly in Aβ positivity and tau positivity, with all comparisons showing P < 0.05.
Key findings
- p-tau217 outperforms p-tau181 in diagnosing AD dementia and Aβ positivity.
- p-tau217 shows poorer performance in cognitively unimpaired stages compared to other subtypes.
- Head-to-head analyses confirmed significant differences in diagnostic performance between p-tau217 and p-tau181.
Why it matters
Understanding the diagnostic capabilities of different p-tau subtypes can enhance early detection and management of Alzheimer's disease, potentially improving patient outcomes with timely interventions.