Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
To assess the effects of demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities on serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels in people without neurologic disease and establish demographic-specific reference ranges of sNfL.Methods
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a representative sample of the US population in which detailed information on demographic, lifestyle, routine laboratory tests, and overall health status are systematically collected. From stored serum samples, we measured sNfL levels using a novel high-throughput immunoassay (Siemens Healthineers). We evaluated the predictive capacity of 52 demographic, lifestyle, comorbidity, anthropometric, or laboratory characteristics in explaining variability in sNfL levels. Predictive performance was assessed using cross-validated R2 (R2 cv ) and forward selection was used to obtain a set of best predictors of sNfL levels. Adjusted reference ranges were derived incorporating characteristics using generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape.Results
We included 1,706 NHANES participants (average age: 43.6 ± 14.8 y; 50.6% male, 35% non-white) without neurological disorders. In univariate models, age explained the most variability in sNfL (R2 cv = 26.8%). Multivariable prediction models for sNfL contained three covariates (in order of their selection): age, creatinine, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (standardized β-age: 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43, 0.50; creatinine: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.22; HbA1c: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.11). Adjusted centile curves were derived incorporating identified predictors. We provide an interactive R Shiny application to translate our findings and allow other investigators to use the derived centile curves.Interpretation
Results will help to guide interpretation of sNfL levels as they relate to neurologic conditions. ANN NEUROL 2022;92:688-698.
SUBMITTER: Fitzgerald KC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9489658 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Fitzgerald Kathryn C KC Sotirchos Elias S ES Smith Matthew D MD Lord Hannah-Noelle HN DuVal Anna A Mowry Ellen M EM Calabresi Peter A PA
Annals of neurology 20220713 4
<h4>Objective</h4>To assess the effects of demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities on serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels in people without neurologic disease and establish demographic-specific reference ranges of sNfL.<h4>Methods</h4>The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a representative sample of the US population in which detailed information on demographic, lifestyle, routine laboratory tests, and overall health status are systematically collec ...[more]