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Plasma p-Tau217 and p-Tau181 levels in Well-Controlled versus Drug-Resistant focal epilepsy
Sabina Iqbal, Lei Liu, Gad A Marshall, Rani A Sarkis. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 2025-12-11
Topic: Plasma and spinal-fluid biomarkers
Plasma was collected from 103 patients: 48 well-controlled (C, 31.3 % female) and 55 drug-resistant (DR, 50.9 % female). Mean ages were 38.7 ± 12.3 years (C) and 37.0 ± 11.6 years (DR). Log-transformed mean plasma levels were not significantly different: pTau181 (DR: 2.17 ± 0.99 vs. C: 2.33 ± 0.87, p = 0.35) and pTau217 (DR: 3.87 ± 0.97 vs. C: 4.10 ± 0.95, p = 0.23). No correlation was observed between plasma tau and time since last seizure: pTau181 (ρ = +0.001, p = 0.99), pTau217 (ρ = +0.13, p = 0.18). Tau levels did not differ based on use of synaptic vesicle protein 2A inhibitors or sodium channel blockers. Interictal plasma biomarkers of neurodegeneration are not elevated in adults with poorly controlled epilepsy and do not correlate with time since last seizure or specific antiseizure medications. Future studies should explore whether subpopulations exist with increased risk or early markers of accelerated aging.
Key findings
- Plasma was collected from 103 patients: 48 well-controlled (C, 31.3 % female) and 55 drug-resistant (DR, 50.9 % female).
- Mean ages were 38.7 ± 12.3 years (C) and 37.0 ± 11.6 years (DR).
- Log-transformed mean plasma levels were not significantly different: pTau181 (DR: 2.17 ± 0.99 vs.
- C: 2.33 ± 0.87, p = 0.35) and pTau217 (DR: 3.87 ± 0.97 vs.
- No correlation was observed between plasma tau and time since last seizure: pTau181 (ρ = +0.001, p = 0.99), pTau217 (ρ = +0.13, p = 0.18).
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Study details
- Participants103
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / 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, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 30 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 54 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Epilepsy & behavior : E&B) |
| 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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 103 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 | No randomisation 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 |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41386198) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 30 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 30 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 54 out of 100. |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Iqbal, S., Liu, L., Marshall, G. A., & Sarkis, R. A. (2026). Plasma p-Tau217 and p-Tau181 levels in Well-Controlled versus Drug-Resistant focal epilepsy. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110855
Vancouver
Iqbal S, Liu L, Marshall GA, Sarkis RA. Plasma p-Tau217 and p-Tau181 levels in Well-Controlled versus Drug-Resistant focal epilepsy. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110855. PMID: 41386198.
BibTeX
@article{iqbal2026-41386198,
author = {Iqbal, Sabina and Liu, Lei and Marshall, Gad A and Sarkis, Rani A},
title = {{Plasma p-Tau217 and p-Tau181 levels in Well-Controlled versus Drug-Resistant focal epilepsy}},
journal = {Epilepsy \& behavior : E\&B},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110855},
pmid = {41386198},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110855}
}
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