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A 2-Step Cerebrospinal Algorithm for the Selection of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes
Lleó A, Irwin DJ, Illán-Gala I, McMillan CT, Wolk DA, Lee EB, Van Deerlin VM, Shaw LM et al.. JAMA neurology, 2018-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Importance Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) core Alzheimer disease (AD) biomarkers have shown an excellent capacity for the in vivo detection of AD. Previous studies have shown that CSF levels of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) also correlate with tau pathology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) after accounting for AD copathology. Objective To develop an algorithm based on core AD CSF measures to exclude cases with AD pathology and then differentiate between FTLD-tau and FTLD transactive response DNA-binding protein of approximately 43kDa (FTLD-TDP).
Key findings
- Previous studies have shown that CSF levels of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) also correlate with tau pathology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) after accounting for AD copathology.
- Objective To develop an algorithm based on core AD CSF measures to exclude cases with AD pathology and then differentiate between FTLD-tau and FTLD transactive response DNA-binding protein of approximately 43kDa (FTLD-TDP).
- Design, setting, and participants A case-control study at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Participants were selected from a database of 1796 patients included between 1992 and 2016 with different neurodegenerative diseases with available CSF.
Why it matters
This study developed a two-step cerebrospinal fluid algorithm to help tell apart different subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration by first ruling out Alzheimer's disease pathology. It is a diagnostic tool study and does not offer a treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcase-control study
- Participants143
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a case-control study. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Neurology: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 6 / 12 | A case-control study |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 143 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 71 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.1 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Murray Grossman: h-index 119 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29554190) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0118
- PubMed: 29554190
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Lleó, A., Irwin, D. J., Illán-Gala, I., McMillan, C. T., Wolk, D. A., Lee, E. B., et al. (2018). A 2-Step Cerebrospinal Algorithm for the Selection of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes. JAMA neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0118
Vancouver
Lleó A, Irwin DJ, Illán-Gala I, McMillan CT, Wolk DA, Lee EB, et al. A 2-Step Cerebrospinal Algorithm for the Selection of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes. JAMA neurology. 2018. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0118. PMID: 29554190.
BibTeX
@article{lleo2018-29554190,
author = {Lleó, A. and Irwin, D. J. and Illán-Gala, I. and McMillan, C. T. and Wolk, D. A. and Lee, E. B. and Van Deerlin, V. M. and Shaw, L. M. and others},
title = {{A 2-Step Cerebrospinal Algorithm for the Selection of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes}},
journal = {JAMA neurology},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0118},
pmid = {29554190},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0118}
}
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