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Cerebrospinal fluid tau protein is increased in neurosyphilis: a discrimination from syphilis without nervous system involvement?
Paraskevas GP, Kapaki E, Kararizou E, Mitsonis C, Sfagos C, Vassilopoulos D.. Sexually transmitted diseases, 2007-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of tau protein in neurosyphilis. Study design Total tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of 12 patients with neurosyphilis, 17 with syphilis without nervous system involvement, 14 controls, and 14 patients with Alzheimer disease of comparable age were analyzed. Double-sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for measurements.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Paraskevas, G. P., Kapaki, E., Kararizou, E., Mitsonis, C., Sfagos, C., & Vassilopoulos, D. (2007). Cerebrospinal fluid tau protein is increased in neurosyphilis: a discrimination from syphilis without nervous system involvement? Sexually transmitted diseases. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.olq.0000233738.23278.4e
Vancouver
Paraskevas GP, Kapaki E, Kararizou E, Mitsonis C, Sfagos C, Vassilopoulos D. Cerebrospinal fluid tau protein is increased in neurosyphilis: a discrimination from syphilis without nervous system involvement? Sexually transmitted diseases. 2007. doi:10.1097/01.olq.0000233738.23278.4e. PMID: 16906125.
BibTeX
@article{paraskevas2007-16906125,
author = {Paraskevas, G. P. and Kapaki, E. and Kararizou, E. and Mitsonis, C. and Sfagos, C. and Vassilopoulos, D.},
title = {{Cerebrospinal fluid tau protein is increased in neurosyphilis: a discrimination from syphilis without nervous system involvement?}},
journal = {Sexually transmitted diseases},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1097/01.olq.0000233738.23278.4e},
pmid = {16906125},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/01.olq.0000233738.23278.4e}
}
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Key findings
- Study design Total tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of 12 patients with neurosyphilis, 17 with syphilis without nervous system involvement, 14 controls, and 14 patients with Alzheimer disease of comparable age were analyzed.
- Double-sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for measurements.
- Results Increased levels of cerebrospinal fluid total tau were observed in neurosyphilis (median [25th-75th percentile]: 349 pg/mL [312-429]) and in Alzheimer disease (543 [441-1017]) as compared with the controls (189 [106-220]) and syphilis without nervous system involvement (190 [160-223]).
- Using a cutoff level of 300 pg/mL, increased tau discriminated cases of neurosyphilis from syphilis without nervous system involvement with a sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 94%, respectively.
Why it matters
This study found that total tau protein in spinal fluid was increased in people with neurosyphilis, similar to people with Alzheimer's disease. It is a small study about diagnosis and does not test any treatment for Alzheimer's.
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Study details
- Participants12
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 34/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Sexually transmitted diseases) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Sexually Transmitted Diseases: journal h-index 138 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 12 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 21 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Demetris Vassilopoulos: h-index 13 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Eginition Hospital: institution h-index 168 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16906125) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 34 / 100 | — |
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