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Do CSF total tau, phosphorylated tau, and beta-amyloid 42 help to predict progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature
Diniz BS, Pinto Júnior JA, Forlenza OV.. The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry, 2008-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The search for biomarkers as a diagnostic aid to the identification of patients in pre-dementia stages is a fast growing research area. In view of the low specificity attained with the clinically based diagnostic criteria, including those for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), biomarker information will add precision to the incipient dementia diagnostic work-up, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). We present a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of the most relevant publications about the role of CSF biomarkers in the identification of patients with probable Alzheimer's disease at pre-dementia stages. A total of 16 studies were included in the systematic review, five of which were suitable for meta-analysis. We compared the standard mean differences (SMD) of beta-amyloid 42 (Abeta42), total tau (T-tau) and phosphorylated tau (P-tau) for 130, 169 and 123 patients with MCI who converted to AD (MCI-AD) and 142, 157 and 130 controls, respectively. We conclude that when a clinical diagnosis of MCI is made at baseline assessment, low CSF levels of Abeta42 (SMD: -1.57, CI 95% [-2.30 to -0.84], P < 0.001), along with high T-tau (SMD: 1.52, CI 95% [1.25 to 1.79], P < 0.001), and high P-tau (SMD: 1.75, CI 95% [0.99 to 2.51], P < 0.001), help to predict the conversion to Alzheimer's disease as compared to controls subjects.
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APA 7th
Diniz, B. S., Pinto Júnior, J. A., & Forlenza, O. V. (2008). Do CSF total tau, phosphorylated tau, and beta-amyloid 42 help to predict progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/15622970701535502
Vancouver
Diniz BS, Pinto Júnior JA, Forlenza OV. Do CSF total tau, phosphorylated tau, and beta-amyloid 42 help to predict progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry. 2008. doi:10.1080/15622970701535502. PMID: 17886169.
BibTeX
@article{diniz2008-17886169,
author = {Diniz, B. S. and Pinto Júnior, J. A. and Forlenza, O. V.},
title = {{Do CSF total tau, phosphorylated tau, and beta-amyloid 42 help to predict progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature}},
journal = {The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1080/15622970701535502},
pmid = {17886169},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/15622970701535502}
}
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Key findings
- We conclude that when a clinical diagnosis of MCI is made at baseline assessment, low CSF levels of Abeta42 (SMD: -1.57, CI 95% [-2.30 to -0.84], P < 0.001), along with high T-tau (SMD: 1.52, CI 95% [1.25 to 1.79], P < 0.001), and high P-tau (SMD: 1.75, CI 95% [0.99 to 2.51], P < 0.001), help to predict the conversion to Alzheimer's disease as compared to controls subjects.
Why it matters
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies found that in people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, low cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-beta 42 along with high total tau and high phosphorylated tau helped predict conversion to Alzheimer's compared with controls. These biomarkers may add precision to diagnosis, but the study tests no treatment or cure.
Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Participants123
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry: journal h-index 109 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 123 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 172 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.6 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 15 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Orestes Vicente Forlenza: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Universidade de São Paulo: institution h-index 936 (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 17886169) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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