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Meta-Analysis
. 2023 May 4;12(9):1309.
doi: 10.3390/cells12091309.

GFAP as a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ka Young Kim  1   2 , Ki Young Shin  3 , Keun-A Chang  2   4   5
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

GFAP as a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ka Young Kim et al. Cells. .

Abstract

Blood biomarkers have been considered tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and tau are primarily blood biomarkers, recent studies have identified other reliable candidates that can serve as measurable indicators of pathological conditions. One such candidate is the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocytic cytoskeletal protein that can be detected in blood samples. Increasing evidence suggests that blood GFAP levels can be used to detect early-stage AD. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate GFAP in peripheral blood as a biomarker for AD and provide an overview of the evidence regarding its utility. Our analysis revealed that the GFAP level in the blood was higher in the Aβ-positive group than in the negative groups, and in individuals with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to the healthy controls. Therefore, we believe that the clinical use of blood GFAP measurements has the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and improve the prognosis of AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; GFAP; blood biomarker; cognitive impairment; glial fibrillary acidic protein.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the literature search.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plots of the GFAP levels in the blood of subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and those who tested positive for Aβ. (A) GFAP levels in AD and control, (B) GFAP levels in Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative subjects. The forest plots describe the statistical parameters and effect size of each comparison, and quantitatively synthesized results. Black square represents the odds ratio, as calculated for each study and horizontal bars show the 95% CI of each study. The black rhombus represents the confidence limits. GFAP: pg/mL, Std diff: standard difference, CI: confidence interval.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plots of the GFAP levels in the blood of subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). (A) GFAP levels in MCI and control, (B) GFAP levels in AD and MCI, and (C) GFAP levels in Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative subjects. The forest plots describe the statistical parameters and effect size of each comparison, and quantitatively synthesized results. Black square represents the odds ratio, as calculated for each study and horizontal bars show the 95% CI of each study. The black rhombus represents the confidence limits. Std diff: standard difference, CI: confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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