Publication
Title
Clinical utility and applicability of biomarker-based diagnostic criteria for Alzheimers disease : a BeDeCo survey
Author
Abstract
We conducted a survey regarding the medical care of patients with dementia in expert settings in Belgium. Open, unrestricted and motivated answers were centralized, blindly interpreted and structured into categories. The report of the results was then submitted to the participants in subsequent plenary meetings and through email. Fourteen experts responded to the questionnaire, confirming that recent propositions to modify Alzheimers disease (AD) diagnostic criteria and options have stirred up debate among well-informed and dedicated experts in the field. The opinions were not unanimous and illustrate how difficult it is to find a standardized method of diagnosing this disease. The responses to the survey suggest that application of a step-by-step pragmatic method is used in practice. Only when the combination of clinical findings and classical structural neuro-imaging is insufficient for a diagnosis or suggests an atypical presentation, additional biomarkers are considered. Interestingly, few differences, if any, were observed between the use of biomarkers in MCI and in AD. In conclusion, the Belgian experts consulted in this survey were generally in agreement with the new diagnostic criteria for AD, although some concern was expressed about them being too amyloidocentric. Although the clinical examination, including a full neuropsychological evaluation, is still considered as the basis for diagnosis, most experts also stated that they use biomarkers to help with diagnosis.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Acta neurologica Belgica. - Bruxelles, 1970, currens
Publication
Bruxelles : Acta Medica Belgica , 2015
ISSN
0300-9009 [print]
2240-2993 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S13760-014-0423-7
Volume/pages
115 :4 (2015) , p. 547-555
ISI
000365265800004
Pubmed ID
25576445
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 16.01.2015
Last edited 09.10.2023
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