Chronic kidney disease and blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: the brain in kidney disease study.
8 affiliations
- 1Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
- 2Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
- 3Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
- 4Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
- 5Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
- 6Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
- 7Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
- 8Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Abstract
Background
Reduced kidney function affects the levels of many Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) blood-based biomarkers (BBMs). The extent to which kidney function is associated with serum levels of brain-derived tau (BD-tau), a novel BBM specific for Alzheimer's disease-type neurodegeneration, is unknown.Methods
ADRD BBMs were measured in stored serum samples from 443 BRain IN Kidney Disease study participants (mean age 68.9 years, 49% female).Results
Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; poorer kidney function) was inversely associated with levels of serum BD-tau: BD-tau 54.6 pg/mL (standard deviation [SD] 24.47) for eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m², 34.16 [20.47] for eGFR 15 to 29, 22.89 [23.43] for eGFR 30 to 44, 16.76 [19.88] for eGFR 45 to 59, and 9.19 [9.05] for eGFR ≥60. Greater urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR; greater albuminuria) was positively associated with levels of serum BD-tau: BD-tau 39.84 pg/mL [SD 31.76] for UACR > 300 mg/g, 22.57 [21.59] for UACR 30 to 300, and 14 [10.72] for UACR < 30. These trends were consistent for all levels of cognitive impairment (CI; from no CI to severe CI) and persisted following adjustment for age, race, sex, and education. In contrast, associations of kidney function with the pTau217/BD-tau ratio were generally non-significant.Discussion
Kidney function needs to be considered when interpreting BD-tau levels.
Related
- Global research trends and hotspots in blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease: a bibliometric analysis
- Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers Measured by Capillary Blood Collection Versus Venous Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Blood Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology, Cognition, and Response to a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention: Secondary analysis of the FINGER Randomized Controlled Dementia Risk Reduction Trial
- Blood-Based Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease: Advances in Detection Technologies and Clinical Applications.
- Achieved systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular outcomes in advanced chronic kidney disease
BibTeX
@article{sheets2026chronic,
title = {{Chronic kidney disease and blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: the brain in kidney disease study.}},
author = {Kerry M Sheets and Joseph M Curran and Michelle M Mielke and Xuemei Zeng and Thomas K Karikari and Courtney L Sutphen and Thomas C Register and Anne M Murray},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/alz.71940},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42967588},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Chronic kidney disease and blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: the brain in kidney disease study.
AU - Kerry M Sheets
AU - Joseph M Curran
AU - Michelle M Mielke
AU - Xuemei Zeng
AU - Thomas K Karikari
AU - Courtney L Sutphen
AU - Thomas C Register
AU - Anne M Murray
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
DO - 10.1002/alz.71940
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42967588
AB - Background Reduced kidney function affects the levels of many Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) blood-based biomarkers (BBMs). The extent to which kidney function is associated with serum levels of brain-derived tau (BD-tau), a novel BBM specific for Alzheimer's disease-type neurodegeneration, is unknown.Methods ADRD BBMs were measured in stored serum samples from 443 BRain IN Kidney Disease study participants (mean age 68.9 years, 49% female).Results Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; poorer kidney function) was inversely associated with levels of serum BD-tau: BD-tau 54.6 pg/mL (standard deviation [SD] 24.47) for eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m², 34.16 [20.47] for eGFR 15 to 29, 22.89 [23.43] for eGFR 30 to 44, 16.76 [19.88] for eGFR 45 to 59, and 9.19 [9.05] for eGFR ≥60. Greater urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR; greater albuminuria) was positively associated with levels of serum BD-tau: BD-tau 39.84 pg/mL [SD 31.76] for UACR > 300 mg/g, 22.57 [21.59] for UACR 30 to 300, and 14 [10.72] for UACR < 30. These trends were consistent for all levels of cognitive impairment (CI; from no CI to severe CI) and persisted following adjustment for age, race, sex, and education. In contrast, associations of kidney function with the pTau217/BD-tau ratio were generally non-significant.Discussion Kidney function needs to be considered when interpreting BD-tau levels.
SN - 1552-5260
SN - 1552-5279
ER -