Returning APOE and pTau-217 Results: the eSMARTER Randomized Noninferiority Clinical Trial
Langbaum, J. B.; Erickson, C. M.; Langlois, C.; Wood, E. M.; Egleston, B. L.; Harkins, K.; Mim, R.; John et al.. medRxiv (preprint), 2026-09-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
ImportancePatients are increasingly learning Alzheimers disease (AD) genetic and biomarker results through electronic health portals. ObjectiveTo determine whether a patient-centered digital platform is comparable to clinician-mediated telehealth sessions for returning APOE and plasma pTau-217 results on outcomes of knowledge and psychological well-being. DesignThe Evaluation of Self-Mediated Alternatives for Risk Testing Education and Return of Results (eSMARTER) study was a noninferiority trial of a patient-centered digital platform compared to clinician-mediated disclosure of APOE genotype and optional pTau-217 disclosure. No significant between group differences were found following disclosure of pTau-217 results. Together, these results suggest that this digital platform may provide an evidence-based scalable approach for returning AD genetic and biomarker results.
Key findings
- ImportancePatients are increasingly learning Alzheimers disease (AD) genetic and biomarker results through electronic health portals.
- ObjectiveTo determine whether a patient-centered digital platform is comparable to clinician-mediated telehealth sessions for returning APOE and plasma pTau-217 results on outcomes of knowledge and psychological well-being.
- DesignThe Evaluation of Self-Mediated Alternatives for Risk Testing Education and Return of Results (eSMARTER) study was a noninferiority trial of a patient-centered digital platform compared to clinician-mediated disclosure of APOE genotype and optional pTau-217 disclosure.
- No significant between group differences were found following disclosure of pTau-217 results.
- Together, these results suggest that this digital platform may provide an evidence-based scalable approach for returning AD genetic and biomarker results.
Why it matters
This trial found that a patient-centered digital platform was comparable to clinician-led telehealth sessions for returning APOE and pTau-217 results, with no significant between-group differences after pTau-217 disclosure. It addresses how risk information is delivered, not how Alzheimer's disease is treated, cured or prevented.
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Study details
- Participants216
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 33 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on impact for its field and year, so that was left out: it earned 31 of the 94 points we could judge it on, which is 33 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (medRxiv (preprint)) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 216 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 | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| 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 | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Angela R. Bradbury: h-index 40 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 31 / 94 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 31 of the 94 points we could judge it on is 33 out of 100. |
| Total | 33 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Langbaum, J. B., Erickson, C. M., Langlois, C., Wood, E. M., Egleston, B. L., Harkins, K., et al. (2026). Returning APOE and pTau-217 Results: the eSMARTER Randomized Noninferiority Clinical Trial. medRxiv (preprint). https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.27.26361535
Vancouver
Langbaum JB, Erickson CM, Langlois C, Wood EM, Egleston BL, Harkins K, et al. Returning APOE and pTau-217 Results: the eSMARTER Randomized Noninferiority Clinical Trial. medRxiv (preprint). 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.08.27.26361535.
BibTeX
@article{langbaum2026-7a589453,
author = {Langbaum, J. B. and Erickson, C. M. and Langlois, C. and Wood, E. M. and Egleston, B. L. and Harkins, K. and Mim, R. and John and others},
title = {{Returning APOE and pTau-217 Results: the eSMARTER Randomized Noninferiority Clinical Trial}},
journal = {medRxiv (preprint)},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.27.26361535},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.27.26361535}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.