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45/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 45 out of 100. Costs and economics

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Background Blood tests for the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are emerging as alternative to amyloid PET scans and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. (CSF). However, their economic value, which depends on test accuracy as well as effect on clinical decision-making, remains unclear. Methods We use a Markov model to estimate the value-based price of a blood test with sensitivity of 88 % and specificity of 89 %, if labeled for triage and confirmation of the AD pathology in primary and specialty care. The value-based price was defined as price of the test, at which overall diagnostic cost per true positive case of early-stage AD would equate that under standard of care (identification in primary care and referral to specialty care based on the results of a brief cognitive test). Assumptions for the effect of test use on clinical decisions came from a structured expert consultation process. Results If used in primary care, the value-based price would be $290 for a triage and $1150 for a confirmatory test, respectively, as use of PET or CSF testing would decline by 47 % and 86 %, respectively. If used in specialty care, i.e., after confirmation of early-stage cognitive impairment, the overall number of blood tests would decline. Consequently, the value-based price would increase to $450 for a triage test and $1950 for a confirmatory test. Conclusions The results project substantial cost savings from implementing a blood test for AD pathology within the diagnostic pathway based on modeling results, which future research should confirm with actual data.

Key findings

The value-based price was defined as price of the test, at which overall diagnostic cost per true positive case of early-stage AD would equate that under standard of care (identification in primary care and referral to specialty care based on the results of a brief cognitive test).
Results If used in primary care, the value-based price would be $290 for a triage and $1150 for a confirmatory test, respectively, as use of PET or CSF testing would decline by 47 % and 86 %, respectively.
If used in specialty care, i.e., after confirmation of early-stage cognitive impairment, the overall number of blood tests would decline.
Conclusions The results project substantial cost savings from implementing a blood test for AD pathology within the diagnostic pathway based on modeling results, which future research should confirm with actual data.

Why it matters

This modelling study estimated the value-based price of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease pathology with sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 89%, finding prices of $290 for triage and $1150 for confirmation in primary care, and $450 and $1950 in specialty care. It concerns the economic value of a diagnostic test rather than treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.

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Study details

Study designmodelling
Effect sizeValue-based price $290 (triage) to $1,950 (confirmatory, specialty care); 47-86% reduction in PET/CSF use
Evidence strengthPreliminary

Limitations

Model-based results are not directly observed evidence and need confirmation with real-world data; behavioural assumptions rest on expert input; the model assumes 75% of confirmatory tests use PET, full adherence to the diagnostic pathway, and test accuracy measured under controlled rather than real-world conditions, any of which would lower the value-based price if untrue.

How this study scored 45/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a computer model rather than new measurements. Scored zero for sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on free to read, so that was left out: it earned 44 of the 98 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease)
Journal's citation record	0 / 4	The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 63 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	3 / 12	A computer model rather than new measurements
Strength of evidence	2 / 5	Rated “preliminary” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	2 / 7	Cited 9 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	3.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 5.7× 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	1 / 4	Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Jorge G. Ruiz: h-index 24 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	Duke University: institution h-index 1,541 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40494736)
Free to read	— / 2	Access not recorded — left out of this score
Points	44 / 98	Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 98 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100.
Total	45 / 100	—

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

Read the original

Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).

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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

APA 7th

Mattke, S., Chen, J., Hanson, M., Johnson, K. G., Leahy, C., Merrill, D. A., et al. (2025). Estimation of the value-based price of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease pathology in primary and specialty care in the U.S. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100219

Vancouver

Mattke S, Chen J, Hanson M, Johnson KG, Leahy C, Merrill DA, et al. Estimation of the value-based price of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease pathology in primary and specialty care in the U.S. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100219. PMID: 40494736.

BibTeX

@article{mattke2025-40494736,
  author  = {Mattke, S. and Chen, J. and Hanson, M. and Johnson, K. G. and Leahy, C. and Merrill, D. A. and Shada, V. and Ruiz, J. G.},
  title   = {{Estimation of the value-based price of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease pathology in primary and specialty care in the U.S}},
  journal = {Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100219},
  pmid    = {40494736},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100219}
}

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