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Association of Altered Liver Enzymes With Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis, Cognition, Neuroimaging Measures, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers
Nho K, Kueider-Paisley A, Ahmad S, MahmoudianDehkordi S, Arnold M, Risacher SL, Louie G, Blach C et al.. JAMA network open, 2019-07-03
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Importance Increasing evidence suggests an important role of liver function in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD). The liver is a major metabolic hub; therefore, investigating the association of liver function with AD, cognition, neuroimaging, and CSF biomarkers would improve the understanding of the role of metabolic dysfunction in AD. Objective To examine whether liver function markers are associated with cognitive dysfunction and the "A/T/N" (amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration) biomarkers for AD.
Key findings
- The liver is a major metabolic hub; therefore, investigating the association of liver function with AD, cognition, neuroimaging, and CSF biomarkers would improve the understanding of the role of metabolic dysfunction in AD.
- Objective To examine whether liver function markers are associated with cognitive dysfunction and the "A/T/N" (amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration) biomarkers for AD.
- Design, setting, and participants In this cohort study, serum-based liver function markers were measured from September 1, 2005, to August 31, 2013, in 1581 AD Neuroimaging Initiative participants along with cognitive measures, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, brain atrophy, brain glucose metabolism, and amyloid-β accumulation.
- Associations of liver function markers with AD-associated clinical and A/T/N biomarkers were assessed using generalized linear models adjusted for confounding variables and multiple comparisons.
Why it matters
This cohort study examined whether blood markers of liver function are associated with cognitive dysfunction and with amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration biomarkers for Alzheimer disease. It reports associations only and does not show that any liver-related treatment, cure, or prevention works.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants1,581
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 69/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. 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 network open) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Network Open: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| 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 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,581 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 229 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 25.4 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 96 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Rima F Kaddurah-Daouk: h-index 74 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 14 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31365104) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 69 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.7978
- PubMed: 31365104
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Network Open →
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
Nho, K., Kueider-Paisley, A., Ahmad, S., MahmoudianDehkordi, S., Arnold, M., Risacher, S. L., et al. (2019). Association of Altered Liver Enzymes With Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis, Cognition, Neuroimaging Measures, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers. JAMA network open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.7978
Vancouver
Nho K, Kueider-Paisley A, Ahmad S, MahmoudianDehkordi S, Arnold M, Risacher SL, et al. Association of Altered Liver Enzymes With Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis, Cognition, Neuroimaging Measures, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers. JAMA network open. 2019. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.7978. PMID: 31365104.
BibTeX
@article{nho2019-31365104,
author = {Nho, K. and Kueider-Paisley, A. and Ahmad, S. and MahmoudianDehkordi, S. and Arnold, M. and Risacher, S. L. and Louie, G. and Blach, C. and others},
title = {{Association of Altered Liver Enzymes With Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis, Cognition, Neuroimaging Measures, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers}},
journal = {JAMA network open},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.7978},
pmid = {31365104},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.7978}
}
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