Blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's pathology and the diagnostic process for a disease-modifying treatment: Projecting the impact on the cost and wait times.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Concerns have been raised about the limited health system capacity for identification of patients who are eligible for a disease-modifying Alzheimer's treatment (DMT). Blood-based biomarker (BBBM) tests are a promising tool to improve triaging at the primary care level. We projected their impact on cost of and wait times during the diagnostic process.

Methods

We compare four scenarios for triaging patients at the primary care level from the perspective of the U.S. health care system: (1) cognitive test only (Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]), (2) BBBM test only, (3) MMSE followed by BBBM if positive, and (4) BBBM followed by MMSE if positive.

Results

Referring patients to dementa specialists based on MMSE or BBBM results alone would continuously requi

SUBMITTER: Mattke S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7434228 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature