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False positive plasma p-tau217 results associated with heterophilic antibody interference: A potential clinical pitfall
Alicia Algeciras-Schimnich, J Paul Theobald, Daniel J Figdore, Susan Ashrafzadeh Kian, Joshua A Bornhorst. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2025-12
Topic: Plasma and spinal-fluid biomarkers
In 14 of the 15 suspected HAb cases, HBT treatment greatly reduced measured p-tau217 concentrations. and in one of three specimens selected for further investigation, reduced Aβ42 concentrations PEG precipitation in the three selected samples also reduced p-tau217 concentrations, while serial dilution yielded mixed effects. Control specimens were unaffected by sample treatment or dilutions. HAb may result in falsely elevated p-tau217 and p-tau217/Aβ42 ratio. HAb interference should be considered in cases of unusually high p-tau217 concentrations prior to clinical interpretation. HIGHLIGHTS: Potential heterophile antibody (HAb) interference in the Lumipulse p-tau217 immunoassay was investigated. Investigation was performed using HAb blocking reagent, and in some cases also using PEG precipitation . Patients with p-tau217 concentrations > 10 pg/mL exhibited positive HAb interference in 14 of 15 cases. HAb interference can lead to falsely positive p-tau217/Aβ42 ratios.
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APA 7th
Algeciras-Schimnich, A., Theobald, J. P., Figdore, D. J., Kian, S. A., & Bornhorst, J. A. (2025). False positive plasma p-tau217 results associated with heterophilic antibody interference: A potential clinical pitfall. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71045
Vancouver
Algeciras-Schimnich A, Theobald JP, Figdore DJ, Kian SA, Bornhorst JA. False positive plasma p-tau217 results associated with heterophilic antibody interference: A potential clinical pitfall. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.71045. PMID: 41457950.
BibTeX
@article{algecirasschimnich2025-41457950,
author = {Algeciras-Schimnich, Alicia and Theobald, J Paul and Figdore, Daniel J and Kian, Susan Ashrafzadeh and Bornhorst, Joshua A},
title = {{False positive plasma p-tau217 results associated with heterophilic antibody interference: A potential clinical pitfall}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71045},
pmid = {41457950},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71045}
}
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Key findings
- In 14 of the 15 suspected HAb cases, HBT treatment greatly reduced measured p-tau217 concentrations. and in one of three specimens selected for further investigation, reduced Aβ42 concentrations PEG precipitation in the three selected samples also reduced p-tau217 concentrations, while serial dilution yielded mixed effects.
- Control specimens were unaffected by sample treatment or dilutions.
- HAb may result in falsely elevated p-tau217 and p-tau217/Aβ42 ratio.
- HAb interference should be considered in cases of unusually high p-tau217 concentrations prior to clinical interpretation.
- HIGHLIGHTS: Potential heterophile antibody (HAb) interference in the Lumipulse p-tau217 immunoassay was investigated.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multicenter collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 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 | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41457950) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 26 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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