Four Immunoassays for Neurofilament Light Chain Show Consistent Performance in ALS
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2025 -- Four immunoassays for neurofilament light chain (NfL) demonstrate consistent performance in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with high diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in Neurology.
Etienne Mondesert, from University Montpellier in France, and colleagues conducted a head-to-head comparison of four different technologies and three serum analytes to assess diagnostic and prognostic performance of NfL, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181) biomarkers in ALS. NfL was assessed using the ultrasensitive Simoa and microfluidic Ella platforms and with Lumipulse and Elecsys assays, recently set up on clinical-grade platforms. Serum GFAP and pTau181 were also assessed using Elecsys.
The cohort included 139 patients with ALS and 70 patients without ALS. The researchers identified high correlation between all methods used for quantifying serum NfL (R2 = 0.939 to 0.963). For ALS diagnosis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.889, 0.906, 0.912, and 0.910 for NfL Simoa, Ella, Lumipulse, and Elecsys, respectively. Poor diagnostic performance was seen for serum pTau181 and GFAP (AUCs, 0.565 and 0.546, respectively). Significant hazard ratios were seen for blood NfL in a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (hazard ratios, 4.4 to 5.4). Patients with ALS with values below the prognostic cutoff had a 40 to 50 percent chance of surviving 50 weeks, while the survival rates dropped to near zero with values above the prognostic cutoff.
"These tests can be useful in confirming a diagnosis in rare cases where it is uncertain," the authors write. "Ultimately, the prognostic information they provide is certainly the most valuable aspect."
Two authors disclosed ties to the biotechnology industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
Read this next
Persistent, New Mucus Plugs Associated With Faster Decline in FEV1 in COPD
WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), persistent and newly formed mucus plugs are associated with a faster decrease in forced...
Combinations of Chronic, Physical Illnesses Up the Risk of Subsequent Depression
WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- Certain groups of physical multimorbidity may be associated with a higher risk of subsequent depression, according to a study published online May 13...
Adding Team Therapist Reduces Burnout for Critical Care Nurses
TUESDAY, May 20, 2025 -- For nurses in critical care areas, adding a team therapist can reduce burnout and improve resilience, according to a study presented at the American...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.