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46/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Health systems and care delivery

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Diagnostic pathways for patients presenting with cognitive complaints may vary across geographies. To describe diagnostic pathways of patients presenting with cognitive complaints across 6 countries. This real-world, cross-sectional study analyzed chart-extracted data from healthcare providers (HCPs) for 6,744 patients across China, France, Germany, Spain, UK, and the US. Most common symptoms at presentation were cognitive (memory/amnestic; 89.86%), followed by physical/behavioral (87.13%). Clinical/cognitive tests were used in > 95%, with Mini-Mental State Examination being the most common cognitive test (79.0%). Blood tests for APOE ɛ4/other mutations, or to rule out treatable causes, were used in half of the patients. Clinical and cognitive tests were used at higher frequency at earlier visits, and amyloid PET/CSF biomarker testing at higher frequency at later visits. The latter were ordered at low rates even by specialists (across countries, 5.7% to 28.7% for amyloid PET and 5.0% to 27.3% for CSF testing). Approximately half the patients received a diagnosis (52.1% of which were Alzheimer's disease [AD]). Factors that influenced risk of not receiving a diagnosis were HCP type (higher for primary care physicians versus specialists) and region (highest in China and Germany). These data highlight variability in AD diagnostic pathways across countries and provider types. About 45% of patients are referred/told to 'watch and wait'. Improvements can be made in the use of amyloid PET and CSF testing. Efforts should focus on further defining biomarkers for those at risk for AD, and on dismantling barriers such low testing capacity and reimbursement challenges.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Sophie, R., Nerida, B., Ivonne, S., Yan Jessie, T., & Margherita, C. (2023). Current Diagnostic Pathways for Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Real-World Study Across Six Countries. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. https://doi.org/10.3233/ADR230007

Vancouver

Sophie R, Nerida B, Ivonne S, Yan Jessie T, Margherita C. Current Diagnostic Pathways for Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Real-World Study Across Six Countries. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. 2023. doi:10.3233/ADR230007. PMID: 37483324.

BibTeX

@article{sophie2023-37483324,
  author  = {Sophie, Roth and Nerida, Burnie and Ivonne, Suridjan and Yan Jessie, T. and Margherita, Carboni},
  title   = {{Current Diagnostic Pathways for Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Real-World Study Across Six Countries}},
  journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports},
  year    = {2023},
  doi     = {10.3233/ADR230007},
  pmid    = {37483324},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3233/ADR230007}
}

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Key findings

Factors that influenced risk of not receiving a diagnosis were HCP type (higher for primary care physicians versus specialists) and region (highest in China and Germany).

Why it matters

This cross-sectional study described how patients with cognitive complaints are diagnosed across six countries and found that biomarker tests like amyloid PET and CSF testing were ordered at low rates. It highlights variability in diagnostic pathways, not any treatment, cure, or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Study details

Study designcross-sectional
Participants6,744
Effect size89.86%; 87.13%; 79.0%
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 46/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports)
Journal's citation record	0 / 4	Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports: journal h-index 40 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	4 / 12	A snapshot of people at one point in time
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	3 / 5	2023 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	3 / 4	6,744 participants
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
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	3 / 7	Cited 33 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	6.6 citations a year over 5 year(s) since 2023
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 5.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 31 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	1 / 4	Last-listed author Margherita Carboni: h-index 17 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Roche Diagnostics International AG (Switzerland): institution h-index 73 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre 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 37483324)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	46 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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